


I'll Do The Same {Din Djarin x OC}

by AlpineGlow



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Adorable Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV), Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Angst, Blood and Injury, Bounty Hunters, Canon-Typical Violence, Din Djarin Needs a Hug, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family Dynamics, Female Protagonist, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, Friends to Lovers, Good Parent Din Djarin, Grogu | Baby Yoda Needs a Hug, Minor Violence, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), POV Original Female Character, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Din Djarin, Protective Grogu | Baby Yoda, Romance, Slow Burn, Soft Din Djarin, The Mandalorian (TV) Season 2, The Mandalorian (TV) Spoilers, Touch-Starved Din Djarin, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:08:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 128,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27951308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlpineGlow/pseuds/AlpineGlow
Summary: After the unexpected assassination of her master, twenty nine year old Thell Sai'Lya, a servant, must forge her own path, and falls directly into the trail of the Mandalorian, a renowned bounty hunter. Being harbored by him is a small green alien of extraordinary talent, a child that Thell takes an immediate liking to. His story is twisted and dark, and Thell soon comes to realize the danger she has put herself in. However, with no family or home to call her own, the steel cold exterior of both the Razor Crest and the Mandalorian himself start to feel like home. Unfortunately, it does not come without its dangers, and they are far more numerous than anticipated.. . . .*contains spoilers for the mandalorian season 2!*story based on lucasfilm's "the mandalorian"
Relationships: Din Djarin & Original Character(s), Din Djarin/Original Female Character(s), Mandalorian & Original Character
Comments: 280
Kudos: 214





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first of all, thank you so much for choosing to click on my story! maybe you'll only read a few chapters, or the whole thing... but whatever you choose, i am thankful regardless. this story means so much to me and it is so humbling to see people enjoying it.
> 
> i tried my very best to make this story and din's character as believable and realistic as possible. i have seen too many times in other works where he is antagonistic, argumentative, and rough, and i have just never seen him as that. in fact, i think he is one of the most compassionate and pure hearted characters in all of the stars wars universe. i love din's character with my whole heart, and i really hope you enjoy my take on him in some circumstances that we aren't used to seeing him in... like some possible romance ;)
> 
> that being said, it does take a few chapters to get the ball rolling, and it is a slowburn in all aspects... so just be patient, because i promise, it's worth it! 
> 
> i hope you enjoy it... please feel free to leave a comment, kudos, or message whenever you want! i love any support that ya'll show me. :)

"And you see that one? That big one, out in the distance?"

"Coruscant!"

"You're exactly right, my love. Hm... what about that one?"

"Um... Corali?"

"Almost, my darling. That there is Corellia. It's a mining planet that was under the rule of the Empire for a long time, but now it seems that rebellions are rising there, too."

"What about here, momma?"

The woman with kind brown eyes and almond skin looked back at the small child curled up beside her. She readjusted so she could look the child in her eyes, the eyes they shared.

"What do you mean, my star?"

"I..." the child started. "Will there be a rebellion here, too?"

The woman sighed heavily, gazing out into the vastness of space above them. "I don't know. But we are safe... you know that, right?"

The child had always been smart, too smart for her own good. She never gloated about it, or made it evident to others, but her manner and richness of speaking had always given truth to the fact.

So it came as no surprise to her when the child answered.

"You said once that there will always be bad people. So... that means there has to be good people too, right?"

The woman leaned back, her gaze turning back to the girl. "Yes. I suppose you're right."

"Then a rebellion will happen here... maybe. And we can be free."

"My star," the woman said softly, turning the child in her arms. "Listen to me... You are already free. The only thing holding yourself captive is yourself, your mind. You are the one who decides whether you are happy or not; that is not the responsibility of others. You stand for your own. You make your own path... Do you understand?"

She could see the child's eyes wandering, calculating, silently like she always did. She had never been one to speak first in conversations, to take charge of anything.

"Do you understand, my love?" She asked again, wiping a wisp of wild copper hair from the child's face.

"Yes, momma."

From their spot huddled together on the roof of a wealthy estate, the house the child had been born in, Thell Sei'Lya let her mind wander, and dreamed of days of freedom and peace with eyes as wide as the night sky.


	2. Chapter One: Silhouettes

“Get up here, now, or I’m gonna have your head, Sai’Lya!”

Her head shot up, and the pain that followed from banging her skull into the top of the sleeping chamber ached immensely. Thell held her head, only for a moment; it was the only time she was allowed, before slipping her brown and gray garments over her head. Her tattered grey cloak was last, securing the gold pin tightly around her chest as she swung her legs over the chamber to slip her feet into her boots. Her toe was nearly sticking out through the front again; she would have to ask Miko for news ones, if he could afford to risk it.

Thell stumbled down the steel corridor, tying her hair into a knot to make herself look at least a bit more presentable. The hallways turned to a sudden stunning white that reflected the fancy interior of Bespin’s greatest business lord, Bleys Darand’s, mansion.

Thell had worked and lived with him for as long as she could remember. Her mother had been with her too, until the sickness that had ravaged Bespin for two years took her too, along with many of her friends. That had been over ten years ago. She was twenty nine now, nearly thirty, and twelve when her mother had passed. She had never known her father, and for the most part, she was alone. Miko, another servant in the adjacent building, was the only one she could scarcely call her a friend. He was a grumpy old man who only took pity on her because he had been fond of her mother.

That’s what it had been for years now; sympathy from others, for the people who she had come from, been born from. She herself had never been able to prove her own worth, and it was what she wanted more than anything else. For someone to appreciate her for her own self, her own spirit, to actually see her, and not someone she had been associated with.

Bleys Darand came into her view much sooner than she had expected, whirling around the corner so fast she had to skid on her heels to avoid crushing him.

“Where in the Maker have you been, girl?” He growled, tugging her forward with a harsh grasp on her arm. “I needed the entire room to be cleaned before my guests arrived, and you are twenty minutes behind schedule!”

Thell gritted her teeth and tried to stop the tears she knew were coming. She only looked away, nodded, and waited for him to release her.

“Insolent child,” came Darand’s harsh voice again. “I don’t see the reason in keeping you around if you can’t do the simplest of tasks. Don’t make me regret making that promise to your mother all those years ago.”

He shoved her forward, so hard her knees slammed into the smooth marble flooring, and when she raised her hands they were streaked with red. Thell waited until she had heard Darand move from the room until she rose to her feet again, dusting off her pants.

She hated the cleaning, the constant need to have everything perfect, when Darand already lived in the most perfect place in the galaxy. But the view was nice. For at least now, it would suffice.

The sun was rising, casting golden glows and beaming rays of yellow and orange across the cityline. Thell stepped closer to the window, closer and closer until she could let her fingertips rest against the glass, hoping, wishing, that one day she could fly past that swirl of clouds and sunshine and make it into that neverending void of space and stars.

. . . . .

The day had been lonely, like most. The other servants never made eye contact with her, wanted nothing to do with her. They knew the promise Darand had made her mother the night she died, wasting away from a sickness no doctor could cure.

“Please, momma.”

“You have to be strong, my star,” her mother whispered, her voice strained with sickness. “You have to be strong for me.”

Thell had been twelve at the time, and the pain of losing her best friend, her only friend, had not been made any easier. Watching her wither away for months, being forced to spend less and less time with her as Darand gave her more responsibilities.

But something was different that night, Thell could feel it. Her mother had told her stories of the Force, the Jedi, the thing that tied all living beings together. She wondered if she was feeling it, that mystical Force her mother had told her stories of late at night.

“Momma, please. I need you,” Thell begged, wrapping her small fingers tight around her mother’s thin arm.

Her mother’s arm came up, tucked a wandering lock of copper hair behind her ear.

“I’ll always be with you, Thell. You know that.”

Her mother tried to smile, even with her sickly skin and pale eyes.

“Momma... I don’t know-”

Footsteps echoed behind them, and Thell curled close to her mother, her eyes narrowing when she noticed Bleys Darand stepping into their chambers.

“Thell, step into the other room for a moment, please,” her mother said, but when she didn’t move, pressed, “Thell, now.”

With gritted teeth and teary eyes, Thell fled from the chamber, huddling on the opposite wall, the one that faced the window. She wrapped her hands around her knees and ducked her head down, letting the tears stain her garments. She could hear her mother and master speaking, but only faintly. She could only hear bits and pieces of their conversation.

She strained closer to the open doorway, pressing her ear against the corridor.

“You have to promise me that, Darand.”

“Seba, I...”

“You have to. She is the only thing I have ever loved. Too many children die in this galaxy because they don’t have people that care for them. I don’t care if you do not show her love as I did, but I need you to promise me that you will take care of her. I don’t want you throwing her to the streets as soon...”

The conversation drifted off, and Thell sniffed, bringing her ear closer.

“I have served your family since you were a young man. The least I am asking for is that you give her a home.”

“I.... I will.”

“I need you to promise me.”

Thell heard Darand sigh heavily. “I promise. I will take care of her.”

“I will be gone soon... I am thankful to know that.”

“That’s... another thing, I needed to speak about with you.”

Thell leaned against the wall, catching her breath as she swung the sack of cleaning supplies over her shoulder. It was nearly sundown, the end of her shift. She could relax, stretch her legs, maybe even take a walk around the artificial garden that sat atop Darand’s mansion.

Thell had just placed the sack of cleaning supplies back in their closet when she heard a loud, unnerving thump. Twisting her head the other direction, Thell’s eyes followed down the dark corridor, only lit by small yellow lamps. She waited, the only sound being her breath as she tried to slow her racing nerves.

“You’re just being stupid,” Thell whispered, trying to pluck up any courage she had.

Taking a small metal rod, meant for cleaning, in one hand, she tiptoed down the hallway, delicately placing one foot in front of the other. The hallway was quiet, almost dead silent save for the hum of the lights and air converters.

But someone was there, a large, shadowy figure standing like a statue at the end of the hall. She had blinked only for a moment and he was there, standing as stiff as a mop. Thell couldn’t see them clearly, not with the limited light, but they didn’t look like anyone who belonged in Darand’s mansion.

Her blood turned to ice, and something like panic rose in her veins. As slowly as she could, she turned on one foot, gently pacing back the direction she had come. Maybe, if he hadn’t noticed her walking forward yet, he wouldn’t bother her.

But something was wildly unnerving at having to turn her back to him. Especially when as soon as she started walking, she heard a loud clang on metal, like it was hitting the floor. Thell flinched, drawing her shoulders in, and dared a peek over her shoulder. Sweat was dripping down her neck now, past her eyes and under her shirt collar.

The stranger had stepped only a foot closer, however, Thell could see that they had placed their hand on their hip.

“Where is Bleys Darand?”

The deep voice, although modulated by a helmet, was like a punch in the chest for Thell. It was both confirmation that she wasn't going crazy and seeing people at night, and that someone was stupid enough to come after someone like Darand.

Thell turned all the way around, her hands shaking like she was holding a buzzing canister. She knew her options: obviously, this person was trying to kill or at least kidnap Darand, and would stop anyone who came in their way. And from the looks of it, this person knew their way around town.

But there was also the matter of who Darand was to her, the promise he had made to her mother over fifteen years ago. If he was killed, or taken, what would she be then? Cast out to the streets, made a slave to yet another master?

Dread prickled up her neck for both circumstances, but for once, she didn’t have to make the decision.

“Get down!”

Thell dropped to the floor, holding her hands over her head as a rush of blaster fire soared over her, explosions and sparks being thrown to each opposite end of the hall. There were footsteps around her on all sides, vibrating the floor beneath her shaking form and causing her to peak at the scene unfolding around her.

A body dressed in black, one of Darand’s guard, lay on the floor only a few feet in front of her. There were small bouts of flames on the walls, blaster marks on the white marble flooring, evidence of a battle not wanting to be won easily.

But there was no one else in the hallway. The mysterious man and the other guards must have fled down a hall, and relief surged through Thell’s body. But she scrambled toward the guard anyway, pulling him onto his back and shoving the mask off his face. He was still breathing, just barely, taking shaky, gulping breaths that made Thell realize the shot must have been fatal.

He tried to raise a hand, but it barely made it off the floor. His eyes were frantic, blood starting to gurgle from his mouth.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Thell hushed, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Man...” the guard wheezed, his eyes squeezing shut.

“I know.”

She had seen death before, seen it take away the one she cared most about, so she did not fear it. It did not make it easier, however, to know that this man was young, and suffering, and he would be dead in moments.

Suddenly she was back in real life, and something was being shoved against her hand: a blaster.

Blinking, Thell turned back to the man, whose scrunched eyes were directly on her.

“Take it,” he hissed.

Thell shook her head, knowing what a weapon of that power meant, what it could so easily do to someone in a second.

“No.”

“Take it!” The pressure of the blaster ceased as the man’s eyes rolled back, and he went limp against the floor, the weapon lying limp against Thell’s arm. There was a tear rolling down her face and she roughly wiped a sleeve against it, smearing the wetness. With trembling fingers, Thell closed the man’s eyelids, and placed her hand over his forehead, closing her own eyes.

“Udesiir,” she whispered, just as her mother before her had done when staff members of Darand’s household had passed away. The last time she had spoken the word was over fifteen years ago, and it felt just as raw.

She grabbed the blaster, stumbled away from the dead guard, and fled the opposite direction down the hallway.

The hallways were quiet, but littered with the marks of blaster fire and struggle. Windows were smashed through, letting in a more than chilly breeze that ruffled Thell’s cloak. Glass crunched under her shoes, and she made her way carefully, slowly through the halls, holding the blaster out in front of her. But as far as she could tell, no one else had been killed, and no one else but the guards that had chased after the man knew that he was here.

The hallways were silent until she rounded a corner, and came into the main living area that Darand spent most of his time in. This section was unharmed, looking as clean as she had left it, but something was off. The holo was on, showing scenes from a holodrama that Darand loved to watch. But from where she could see at her position at the edge of the wall, no one was in the room.

So she inched forward, holding the blaster out in front of her, twisting her head to look in every possible direction for an attack. Thell came closer, rounding the circular white couch that encompassed most of the room. Her goal had been to turn off the holo, probably left on by another servant or Darand himself, but her gaze had been glued to the center of the couch.

It was only when she had stumbled back, smacking her backside into the marble floor from the pure shock, that she could see clearly what was sitting on the couch.

It was some small, green alien, no taller than a foot high, from his position on the couch. If it even was a he. He was dressed in a bulgy tan robe that covered his feet and most of his three toed hands. Long, expressive ears stuck out from the side of his squashed head, and large black eyes stared back at her from his spot. From here, she could see wisps of light hair on his head, but he nearly looked bald. He was the strangest, but nearly cutest, creature Thell had ever seen.

And he was watching the holodrama. Even holding the remote in his tiny green hand.

So Thell let the blaster fall to her side, swallowing hard so she could speak without trembling.

“Um, hello.”

The small thing tilted its head, made a small squeaking noise, and directed its attention back to her. Thell’s jaw dropped.

“You’re just a kid,” she whispered to no one in particular, stunned.

So Thell stood slowly, letting her hands open so the child could see that she was unarmed.

“Hi, little guy,” she said softly, gently kneeling down in front of him. He tilted his head again, his ears twitching at her words. “Where did you come from?”

He made a soft noise again, and his nose twitched, like he was trying to say something. And Thell was ready to speak again when she heard a loud yell down one of the adjacent hallways. Her head shot up, and she expected to see that strange man walk in through the corridor. But it seemed she had some time.

Thell looked back at the child. “Come on, little guy. I need to get us somewhere safe.”

When it didn’t seem like he would object, Thell pulled him against her chest and rose to a standing position, going to grab her blaster. She had just bent down to grab it when she heard that familiar metal clang on the floor, and that same deep voice.

“Put him down.”


	3. Chapter Two: Names

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is already getting so many more reads than i would have thought!! thank you for all the love!!

Thell paused, weighing her options, before simply turning around to face the man. Air caught in her throat when he finally came within sight of her, stepping close enough between the couch separating them so she could see the moonlight glow silver off his armor.

She knew of Mandalorians through childhood stories, through holos, but she had never seen one in person. He was almost beautiful, would have been stunning in that suit of Beskar steel had he not been pointing his blaster pistol straight at her. He was a large man, a good foot taller than her, but his face was concealed by a mask, and she could only stare back at the V slit where he was glaring at her from.

“I said,” the Mandalorian growled. “Put him down.”

The child muttered against her cloak and Thell glanced at him hesitantly. Was the child his? Was he stealing it from wherever it had come from on Bespin?

“Is he yours?” Thell asked.

“He is. Now give him to me, or I’ll shoot you where you stand.”

Panic shot up her veins, and before she could really think anymore, she slowly lowered the child to the ground. It looked back at her with wide, endearing eyes before waddling back over to the Mandalorian, who gently scooped him into his arms. Thell knew then that he was his, from the cautious way he held him to the way his shoulders relaxed once he held him again.

Thell blinked, feeling a bit more at ease once the man lowered his weapon.

“Did you kill him? Darand?”

“No.”

“Oh,” Thell murmured. “You’re not killing him?”

“It won't be me that does it. I'm just here for the bounty.”

Her blood ran cold. “You’re a bounty hunter... You’re taking him.”

“That’s right.”

“He’s just a businessman... He... Why are you taking him?”

The man stepped one foot closer, hand on his holster. “His head is worth more credits than you’ve ever seen. Now, do yourself a favor and get out of this place. It’ll be looted by the end of the night.”

He turned to go, and something deep within Thell, that dream to be free, rooted itself in her heart.

“I don’t have anywhere to go.”

The man stopped mid walk, and the small child peeked at Thell from over his shoulder.

“What are you, a servant?”

Thell fought the urge to roll her eyes. “More or less.”

“Not my problem.”

“You don’t understand,” Thell pressed, taking another brave step forward. “I’m alone here.”

“What do you want?” The Mandalorian grumbled, throwing her a sideways glance. His tone felt more threatening than she had expected, and suddenly she wished she hadn’t spoken so freely.

But maybe, somehow, in these crazy circumstances, he was her way off this planet, her way to freedom. He was traveling with a baby after all, one that it seemed he cared for very dearly.

Suddenly embarrassed, Thell shrunk back, flickering her glance to the wide window in the room. 

“I want to come with you. I want to get off this planet,” she said, with as much courage as she could muster.

His tone was almost gentler. Almost.

“Not going to happen. Nice try, kid.”

Thell blinked, and watched them disappear back down the hallway the Mandalorian had appeared from, with one last long look at the child he held over his shoulder.

Dread filled her until it was nearly overwhelming. Her master, the man that had practically raised her after her mother’s death, was gone, and with it, his entire fortune and reputation. The house would be left to crumble and be ransacked by desperate looters. Others would come, looking for the servants, and sell them off to other masters, or worse. And she didn’t want to be here to witness it.

As she stood in the silence and wreckage of her once home, the words of Thell’s mother came back to her.

You stand for your own. You make your own path.

So with a quivering breath, she took the blaster in one hand and raced down the hallway towards her own chambers. Her belongings were small, even with her large pack, so by the time she had tracked down the Mandalorian at the landing pad, he was only just releasing the drop ramp of his ship. It wasn’t large by any means, but looked comfortable enough for someone like him.

Sweat was beaded on her forehead from her rush to get things together and run after the Mandalorian, so she stopped several yards from him, allowing ample distance for the two of them to remain comfortable. The stars were bright overhead from the lack of lighting outside, but the wind was nipping against the bare skin around her neck. She pulled her cloak tighter, containing her warmth as the Mandalorian stopped in his tracks. Even from here, Thell could hear the sweet burbling sounds of the child, and even see him and his large ears poking around the Mandalorian’s arm.

She swallowed before she spoke, and hoped that her words would allow her wishes to be fulfilled.

“My feet have never touched grass.”

The Mandalorian turned, slowly, one hand resting on his holster and the other wrapped around the green alien.

“What?”

Thell sighed, and threw her hands down beside her. “I’ve never touched grass. Or dirt. Or, or a natural stream of water, or leaves on a tree. I’ve never touched any of it; I’ve rarely seen pictures. And you walk around with all your credits and your fancy ship like you don’t have a care in the world, because I’m sure you don’t. You get to walk on the earth everyday but I’m sure you’ve never thought twice about those in the galaxy that don’t.”

Thell let out a deep breath, one that simmered away any remaining anger or frustration she had. Now she was just embarrassed, digging the toe of her shoe into the platform while the Mandalorian remained completely silent just a few feet from her.

“I’m sorry,” Thell said quickly. “I didn’t mean for it to come across like that.”

“What do you want?” The Mandalorian asked.

Thell’s head shot up, and she could only stare back quizzically at the masked man. His question had no remorse, no bouts of anger threatening to rise up. He had asked her the same question before, but in a completely different manner.

Clearing her throat, she readjusted the bag at her side and kept a tight grip on the strap.

“I would like to come with you.”

“Where to?”

“Anywhere but here.”

“Hm,” was the Mandalorian’s simple response. “And what should I expect in return?”

Thell raised a brow. “Sorry?”

“Do you have payment?”

Thell gulped. She had feared that the question was coming, and suddenly felt lighter with the lack of credits in her pockets and satchel.

“I’ll work for you, do whatever you need me to. Fixing up your ship, cleaning the carburetors, rinsing blood off your weapons, whatever. Watch after the ship while you're away. I’ll do the dirty work, whatever work you don’t want to do. I’ll get a job somewhere and pay you back... double! I’ll even help with the kid, if you want.”

“Doesn’t sound like much.”

Thell breathed in deep, took one step forward, letting her arms fall to her side. “I know it doesn’t. It’s... nothing, really. But it’s all I have. I can’t stay here.”

The Mandalorian stilled, keeping one hand on his holster, but he was silent, and Thell’s desperation grew. She took another step.

“I don’t have anyone left... please.”

Nothing.

Thell closed her eyes momentarily, trying to relax her tense joints.

“Please.”

It felt like a hundred lifetimes had passed before he had granted her that single word:

“Fine.”

Relief flooded through Thell’s system, and she sagged against the weight of her bag.

“But we have to leave now. I’m not waiting around.”

Thell wiped the sweat from her brow before nodding. “Yeah. Okay.”

And she followed after him, cautiously studying the jetpack strapped to his back, the array of small weapons attached to his Beskar vambraces, and the blaster pistol hanging from its holster in his belt. Even from what she could see, and the vast size of him, a whole foot taller than her, she knew he could take her down easily. She had watched him do it to the one guard, so that didn’t mean she was safe from him either. He was a bounty hunter, after all.

She had heard stories of Mandalore and the attacks on its city and culture that it had endured. Surely he wasn’t from there; the signet he wore on his right pauldron did not bear any resemblance to a Mandalorian clan that she knew. He was also larger, stockier, than any natives of Mandalore she had witnessed on holos inside Darand’s mansion. Her old master had been obsessed with Mandalorian culture, so in turn, Thell believed she had some knowledge of at least their history.

But she followed him into the ship anyway, but was stopped momentarily from entering when the Mandalorian spun to face her, and she nearly smacked her face into the chest plates of Beskar steel.

“Give me your blaster.”

He was much more threatening up close, all cold, rough edges and a gruff personality to match. Thell wondered if she would even survive the takeoff from the planet with a man like him. It was better than being sold off, anyway, or killed by looters. If she was going to die, it was going to be through her own decision.

So she passed him the blaster anyway, and her sack when he indicated he wanted to inspect it. She wasn’t allowed on until he had rifled precariously through her pack and stuffed her weapon into his own locked compartment. Thell slowly walked inside the cargo hold, glancing at the crates, the carbonite freezing system, the netting that held equipment to the sides of the docking station. The telescopic gate lifted up behind her, causing her to move forward and bump right into the Mandalorian.

“Sorry,” she muttered, tucking hair behind her ear and scooting past him. He made something like a sighing noise and walked to an upright ladder.

“Come on. We have to go.”

Thell watched him climb up first, and securing her pack behind netting in the cargo hold, climbed up the ladder next. She came to double doors that slid open in front of her and showed her into the cockpit, a modest space with two seats behind the one the Mandalorian sat, piloting the ship. She approached slowly, watching with great curiosity while his hand flicked over the control panel and seating herself in an adjacent seat. She heard a familiar noise and cocked her head to see the green child sitting in the seat opposite from her, holding a small metal orb in his small hands. He made a purring sound and cocked his head at her, to which she waved at shyly.

“You ever been through hyperspace?” She heard the Mandalorian ask without turning around to look at her.

“I’ve never left the planet.”

It must have shocked him, because the Mandalorian grew quiet, before he suddenly punched a few more buttons, and spoke over his shoulder,

“Strap yourself in. It could be rough for a second.”

As quick as she could, Thell found the straps and buckled herself in, holding tight to the worn material. The ship buckled momentarily, causing Thell’s feet to skid against the floor before the ship actually started lifting off from the ground, until she could see the whole city from the cockpit’s window, every light that glowed from the houses and mansions on Bespin, the city where she had lived her whole life.

But the initial sadness she felt of leaving the only place that had been home was suddenly replaced with joy, and thankfulness, because she was leaving Barand behind, and everything that she had once been. She could start over, start fresh. With what, she had no idea. But for once she was thankful for this large, gruff man and his strange green companion that had allowed her passage. Even if it wasn’t under the best circumstances, and she didn’t trust him fully yet, it was the best outcome she could think of.

The ship lifted until the Mandalorian fired the thrusters, and they sped upwards into space, until all that surrounded them was the blackness of the void of space, and the countless stars that twinkled past her vision. Thell could only admire them for a moment before the Mandalorian tugged a large control switch down, and she was thrown back in her seat. It only lasted for a moment, and then they were in hyperspace, flying through bands of blue and white, and the ship lulled peacefully like it was not even moving.

The Mandalorian suddenly moved, unstrapping himself, and turning halfway in the seat to look at the kid. He babbled happily, too caught up playing with the orb to notice the man watching him. But then his attention turned to Thell, and she felt the air catch in her lungs.

“You got a name?”

She blinked. “Thell Sei’Lya.”

“How long did you serve Darand?”

Thell shrugged. “All my life. I was born there.”

“Hm,” the Mandalorian grumbled, and turned back in his seat.

Thell bit her lip. “Um... Do you have a name?”

“People call me Mando.”

“... Do you, have a real name?”

Thell regretted asking it, because he went silent and even the child looked up at him precariously. She could only lean back in her seat and wonder if she would ever find out anything about this man, and why he was traveling with this strange green alien.


	4. Chapter Three: Grass

“We’re here.”

“Really?”

Thell could hardly contain her excitement as the Razor Crest landed on the remote forest planet. She could touch dirt for the first time, real dirt. Feel wind pushed by the trees blow in her face.

She nearly threw herself down the ladder, waiting for Mando to open the side telescopic gate.

“Hold on. Don’t get yourself too excited.”

He stepped past her, grabbing a large blaster from his regiment of weapons before stepping in front of the gate.

“I need to make sure we’re alone first. Wouldn’t want anyone shooting you as soon as you jump out there.”

Thell laughed. Almost.

She watched as he cautiously paced the perimeter of the woods, pointing his blaster in several directions while he mapped the area. At his signal, Thell revealed herself and stepped down the gate. The forest was large, extending for miles and miles across the planet. But they had landed in a clearing surrounded by knee high grass, as green as she had imagined. Even more so.

Thell slipped her shoes off, wanting to feel the real earth beneath her feet. She could hear the child cooing behind her, curiously peeking out as he also descended the ramp.

She stepped forward, until the bottom of her foot was tickled by the dry grass, and then she was standing, dirt and leaves crunching under her toes. It was softer than she had imagined, and so much richer. She couldn’t help the tears that suddenly came to her eyes, the joy that was overwhelming her. The sun was warmer here, and the wind sounded like peace flowing through the woods.

She heard crunches beside her and looked to see Mando approaching her, blaster at his side. It was only when he was a few feet away that she realized she still had tears on her face, and moved to wipe them away quickly. If Mando noticed, he didn’t make a scene of it, instead coming shoulder to shoulder with her and staring out into the forest.

“We need to lay low for a little while, do some repairs on the ship.”

“Okay,” Thell said softly.

“We’ll need to start right away. You know the basic controls and mechanisms of a military patrol craft?”

She looked up to see him already looking at her. “Um, yeah. Darand had me help with repairs on his cruiser, so I guess it should be pretty simple.”

“We’ll see,” the Mandalorian grumbled before stepping away. Frustration rose inside Thell. She knew she was no expert on all things having to do with ships, but the least he could do was at least not make comments on her lack of skill.

Nonetheless, she hiked back up the telescopic gate with him, watching him set aside his blaster rifle.

“You can have one day off a week. You can do whatever you want, just don’t go too far if you decide to wander off.”

Thell looked down at her feet. “How long can I stay?”

The Mandalorian looked back at her, in all of his unnerving strength.

“Till the end of the month.”

The first three weeks were strenuous, compared to the work Darand usually had her do. After dropping off his bounty, her old master, on an unnamed planet, they traveled to the remote forest planet so they could work on repairs to the ship. Mando had her perform various tasks, like replacing and cleaning the cooling radiator panels and repairing siding in the cargo hold. It was no easy work by far, but the more she did, the more secured Thell felt in his company. He was not a conversationalist by any means, and neither was she, so most of their time was spent in silence. Better than him snapping at her for asking too personal a question.

The planet was mostly uninhabited, but on her day off, Thell allowed herself a walk through the forest. She had just walked down the side ramp when she heard footsteps approaching behind her, and turned to see the Mandalorian following after her.

“Yes?”

“Where are you going?” For once, he sounded genuinely curious.

Thell shrugged, holding her pack tighter to her side. “I was gonna take a walk... it’s my day off, right?”

Mando dipped his head, but before he could turn away, Thell lingered at the edge of the gate.

“Do you... Want to come with me?” She asked.

She had tried to get to know him, as much as she could; but he was the most private, and surprisingly quiet, man Thell had ever met. He didn’t share much, and he asked even less about Thell herself. All pleasantries and introductions had been made the first week: her name, her age, how long she had been on Bespin, what type of work she did for Darand. Nothing that mattered, at the end of the day.

And even though she was with two new people, she felt as lonely as she did in that mansion on Bespin. Mando was quiet, and while not inherently harsh, was rather cold in his disposition. The only time she saw warmth radiate from him in any capacity was with the kid. He loved the child; Thell could tell as soon as she had seen them together that first night on Bespin.

He held the alien with such tenderness, offered him that metal orb, and prepared meals for him. It was quiet work; those who didn’t know to watch would have never noticed in the first place. There was some strange connection between the Mandalorian and the child that he affectionately called “kid.”

And there had been rare moments within those first three weeks that his warmth seemed to carry over to her. It was not immediate, and it never lasted for more than a few moments, but it was the times that she wondered who the Mandalorian truly was, where he came from, what his story was.

One night she had been curled up in the passenger seat of the cockpit, digging her chin into her chest, aching for warmth. It wasn’t the most comfortable spot on the Razor Crest, but the only place that seemed manageable to sleep. However, her cloak only kept her so warm, and she debated whether to sleep out in the forest.

She had nearly fallen asleep, teeth chattering, when the doors slid open and she fought not to flinch. She could tell by the heavy metal footsteps that it was Mando, and listened intently as he neared her. She didn’t open her eyes, in fear that he was suddenly changing his mind and kicking her out. That’s what she should have expected anyway, running off in the middle of the night with some strange masked bounty hunter that could kill her in her sleep. But it was none of those things.

In fact, the only thing she felt was an abundance of warmth as a heated blanket was draped over her, and loosely fitted around her shoulders. And when she opened her eyes to see Mando, he was already gone behind the sliding doors, and Thell curled closer inside the blanket, the one that smelled faintly like steel and leather.

The same thing happened yet again two nights later, but Thell raised her head as soon as she felt the blanket touch her skin. The cockpit was dark, and she could only see the silhouette of the Mandalorian standing over her.

“Mando?” She whispered groggily.

“Go back to sleep,” he grumbled softly.

Something like a hand softly rubbed against her head, and she lolled against the seat, comforted by the warmth the blanket always brought. She wondered why it had disappeared the morning she woke up, only for the Mandalorian to return and drape it over her. One that was starting to smell faintly like home.

The next time it happened, Thell sat up. It seemed to surprise him, as the Mandalorian leaned back slowly when he noticed she was awake.

Something had been happening within her spirit over the past week, as soon as he had showed her that single ounce of kindness. Maybe it was because no one had before. Maybe it was because she loved the small green alien sleeping away downstairs, and her heart was becoming softened towards this man.

She still didn’t know much about him, but that seemed to be his problem. He didn’t open up or allow others into his life. He didn’t plan ahead, and it constantly seemed like he was running from something, someone. Maybe himself.

And she only had a week left with him, before he dropped her off on another planet or left her with someone. She would be alone, left to fend for herself in a galaxy she had never known. And she was becoming desperate. Her shyness and hesitancy towards someone that could kill her, someone that had killed people, had made her weak. And she knew she needed to do something before he left her out on the streets.

That, and she couldn’t help but dream of living with him and the little alien. Permanently. Life seemed rather simple in the Razor Crest, on this unnamed forest planet that she loved so dearly. And as much as she loved the kid, she wanted to get to know him too, have a friend for once.

“Are you okay?” Thell whispered, adjusting in her seat.

“What?”

“You... You seem like you’re running from something. You’re always on edge.”

She could hear the Mandalorian take deep breaths from where he stood, his back to her.

“We’re being hunted. The kid. Me.”

Thell’s brows creased. “What? What do you mean, hunted?”

“There's a large bounty on the kid’s head, and one on mine for harboring him.”

“The kid? But... he’s just a child. Why would anyone be after him?” Fear was suddenly making its way into Thell’s skin. When he didn’t answer, Thell slipped up from her seat, standing face to face with him. Without her shoes, she was even shorter than normal, and had to tilt her head to look at his helmet.

“Mando? What’s going on? What is this?”

“I told you you could be here until the end of the month. No one has seen your face during this time, so you’ll be safe wherever I drop you off.”

Thell’s jaw dropped. “So I’ve been in danger this whole time, and you never told me?” When he didn’t respond, Thell chewed the inside of her cheek.

“Since when did you care about my safety? I thought you only saw me as a servant.”

“You left that life behind as soon as I kidnapped Darand.”

“... What about the kid?” Thell asked.

“What about him?”

“Does he know?”

“Of course he knows. I’ve been trying to get him back to his people for months now.”

Thell’s anger dissipated. “His... people?”

But Mando seemed spent, and with a simple wave of his hand, passed through the sliding doors and out of sight.

“So, what do you say?” Thell repeated, looking expectantly at the Mandalorian. Since their heated conversation regarding the bounties on both of their heads, they hadn’t spoken much in the past few days. Mando seemed to lighten a bit at her question of taking a walk.

“Where are we headed?”

Thell beamed. “Anywhere we want. Planet seems pretty quiet anyway.”

“Let me get the kid.”

As soon as the kid was in the Mandalorian’s arms, they set off into the forest, with the sun warming their backs and leaves crunching beneath their boots. Thell let the silence simmer for a minute, letting the cool breeze waft through her cloak before glancing sideways at the Mandalorian.

She only had three days left with them. Just three before she had to make a living for herself. Before she had to leave the both of them.

“Hey,” she started to get his attention, which also made the little alien look her way. They stopped halfway into the woods, facing the other.

“I wanted to apologize for how I spoke the other night... You have a right to your privacy, and I shouldn’t have pressed you. I shouldn’t expect every answer from you just because... I live with you right now.”

He was silent for a long moment, studying her under that cold mask.

“You had a right to know your own safety. I should have told you sooner.”

Thell’s brows raised in surprise. “Oh... that’s okay. I’m just glad I know now.”

The Mandalorian motioned them over to a fallen log, where he placed the child between them. His eyeline was on the kid, but Thell sensed his mind was somewhere else, somewhere far off.

“Grogu is a very special kid.”

Thell’s jaw dropped. “Grogu?”

His head dipped. “That’s his name.”

The alien, Grogu, made a small burbling noise and made direct eye contact with Thell, who’s heart was overwhelmed with new affection.

“There’s been people looking for him for a long time. He was in hiding for many years, alone, scared. I was sent to hunt him.” Thell’s gaze wavered back to the kid, to this small, innocent alien that was the cause of their hiding away.

“But I... He’s just a kid. I couldn’t do that.” There was something like pain in his voice.

Her eyes fell to Mando’s mask. “So you saved him.”

“Yes... And now I’m supposed to bring him back to his people. I brought him to one, but... she said that he has to choose his own path.”

Thell felt movement near her wrist, and noticed Grogu pawing at her thumb.

“But he’s just a kid. He can’t even talk.”

“He’s older than he looks.” When Thell waited for a response, Mando continued. “He was training to be a Jedi during the age of the Republic and the Clone Wars. When the Republic fell, and the Jedi were slaughtered, someone hid him away for a long time. He can... do things, unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

“Like what?”

The Mandalorian reached inside his pocket, fishing out the silver orb Thell had seen the child play with many times. At the sound of his name, Grogu turned, looking at the Mandalorian with great curiosity.

“Grogu, you can have the ball. But you have to do it like last time.”

The child whined before slowly lifting his hands, his eyes creasing as he focused. Suddenly, the orb flew to his small hand, and he burbled with joy. Thell could only watch with wide eyes and an even wider smile.

“That’s... amazing. How does he do that?” She asked.

“The Jedi I found said that its the Force. He uses it to... lift things, I suppose.”

Thell leaned back against the tree stump. “My mother used to tell me stories of the Force and the Jedi. They weren’t all just myths, were they?”

The Mandalorian shook his head. “Not all of them.”

“So... that’s why he’s a target. People want him for his power.” She cast anxious glances between the Mandalorian and Grogu, and in a moment of pure sentiment, reached forward to place her hand on the Mandalorian’s arm, in the crook of his arm where there was only garment covering his skin. He flinched upon her contact, and she moved to replace her arm, but when he didn’t pull away, she lingered momentarily.

“You’re... you’re very brave, to do what you’re doing. It’s a very honorable service, putting your life in harm’s way to protect him.”

The forest was quiet around them, almost soft, but the silence that the Mandalorian left her with was more than unsettling. So she replaced her hand before it became too awkward, which she feared it already had. She got up to leave, dusting off her pants and about to turn the other way when Mando spoke again.

“Thell.”

She paused, looking at him from over her shoulder.

“Why did you stay with Darand as long as you did?”

Her muscles relaxed at his question, which coming from anyone else, she might have gone silent. But after weeks, nearly a month, he was finally asking her about herself. And more than just her name.


	5. Chapter Four: Burns

“My mom raised me in his house. I never met my dad. My mom never talked about him... so I sense that there was some enmity between them, and that’s why she never talked about him. As far as I know, my mom also grew up on Bespin before me. It’s all I’ve ever known. The sky. The clouds... I dreamed for a long time of getting off that planet. All my life really.”

“And you stayed with him?”

Thell looked back up at the sky from their spot leaning against the log. The sun was setting now, and they were just starting to see the stars from where they lay in the middle of the woods. Grogu was sleeping in Thell’s arms, snoring softly, warm against her chest. She had nearly cried when he had crawled into her lap and Mando had approved. This is where she could see herself for a long time, even if she didn’t know either of them well. For once, she felt happy, and safe.

“My mom died when I was twelve... She got this sickness that ravaged Bespin for two years. There was no cure, and I watched her wither away.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Thell blinked away a tear. She hadn’t spoken of her mother like this in years, to anyone.

“She was my best friend. I relied on her for everything. She taught me so much and it was all gone so quick... That’s why I stayed. Because she made Darand promise to take of me after she was gone. He wasn’t by perfect by any means, but at least I had a roof over my head.”

The Mandalorian was quiet, and Thell lay her head back, running one hand softly down Grogu’s back. It was comforting to have the small creature, the one that it seemed everyone was after, breathing softly against her. Completely safe for the moment.

“I didn’t have many friends growing up, none at all, really... I mostly just kept to myself. It was... lonely.”

“Do you know anything about your father?” Mando asked quietly.

Thell shrugged. “Not much.” She reached under her tunic for the necklace that lay hidden under her clothes. “I do have a necklace though that...”

Boom!

Something thundered in the distance, and the Mandolarian shot to his feet while Thell gathered Grogu close to her, who had woken up and was whining pitifully.

“Shh, shh,” Thell cooed, brushing his head with her hand. “It’s okay.”

The Mandalorian had his blaster pistol out, and the other arm raised with his fist clenched. Thell waited silently, letting her eyes flicker through the dark woods. In the distance, perhaps many meters from them, she spotted a small orange glow. It seemed to get brighter and brighter as she looked at it, until a sudden humming noise rang in her ears.

There was a great flash of light and pain in her arm as she stumbled, or was rather thrown to the ground. In the blur of pain and haze, she blinked, spotting the Mandalorian crouching over her. His armored leg was digging into her’s, almost bruising, and she strained against his hold.

“Take the kid, and get back to the ship, now!” He hissed, with the most urgency she had ever heard from him.

Releasing her, Thell scrambled to her feet, arms tight around Grogu who was crying against her chest. She fled through the dark of the woods in the direction of the Razor Crest, hoping and praying that Mando would be safe. She could hear blaster fire and more loud booming coming from behind her, but she didn’t risk a glance over her shoulder. Thell’s first priority had become Grogu, because Mando loved the little green companion, and part of her was learning to appreciate him, too.

Finally the Razor Crest came within her view, and Thell plowed up the side of the telescopic gate, slamming her hand down on the control switch that swung the hatch back inside. As soon as it was closed, and all went silent, she collapsed against the side wall, panting deeply.

The one thing that brought her back to reality was Grogu’s whining against her chest. She pulled him away so she could look at him clearly.

“It’s okay. He’s gonna be back in a minute,” she said, then whispered under her breath, “I hope.”

Thell must have fallen asleep, curled against the chilly interior of the Razor Crest’s cargo hold, when the whole ship shook. Frightened by the sudden movement, she shakily rose to her feet, realizing in the process that Grogu had disappeared.

“Grogu!” She called desperately.

As she stood, pain laced up her leg from where the Mandalorian had crushed her. But something felt off in her arm as well, and she lifted her elbow to inspect it. Just below her elbow on her right arm, there was a significant burned area of her tunic. Breathing catching in her throat, she shoved the tunic up her arm to inspect further, and yelped when it caught the wound.

It was no larger than a few credits, but the burning was significant. Black, scaly flesh surrounding a weeping wound of red and yellow coloring. She had only seen such wounds on holodramas, and it looked worse than anything she had seen.

“Grogu!” She called again, her panic rising.

But the only answer was the dropping of the side telescopic gate, and Thell shoved herself back against the wall. However, her tenseness faded as the Mandalorian stomped onboard, carrying a large blaster rifle at his side. Even from here, she could smell the blaster smoke waving off him.

“Where is he?” he grumbled, looking directly at Thell.

But she could only shake her head, too shaken from the events and her wound. “I, I don’t know. We got back, we were safe. But I must have passed out. I don’t know where he is.”

“Kid!” The Mandalorian called, lifting the side gate closed and swinging by her, peeking his head into the sleeping chamber before heading for the upright ladder. Thell listened as he let out a large sigh, and his head lolled.

“He’s in the cockpit.”

“Oh. Good,” Thell breathed, clutching her arm.

He walked towards her suddenly.

“Thank you for bringing him back.”

Thell blinked. “Oh, you’re welcome. What happened?... Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Someone knew we were here, or they were just raiders looking for stranded individuals. Either way, I’m not taking a chance by staying here any longer. We leave now. Get up to the cockpit if you don’t want to be thrown around down here.”

With a deep inhale, Thell pushed herself from the wall and made her way to the ladder, gently grasping it with her bad arm and pulling up. Stinging shook her entire arm, and she hissed in pain, squeezing her eyes shut.

“What’s wrong?”

Thell shook her head, knowing how she had never had someone to ask for help, no one since her mom. He obviously didn’t care enough about her to want to help, so why even bother? He only cared that she had brought the kid back, had helped with repairs on the ship, and was probably more than prepared to leave her on whatever planet they skipped past next.

But to her greatest surprise, the Mandalorian stepped forward, grabbing her by the opposite arm to turn her.

“You got shot. Why didn’t you say anything?”

Tears built in her eyes. “I... I had to get the kid back.”

Mando let out something like a groan and took her unharmed arm, leading to the sleeping chamber on the deep side of the cargo hold.

“Stay in here while we go into hyperspace. I’ll be back down with the bacta kit soon.”

He closed her inside, and Thell tugged her knees close to her chest, ducking her forehead inbetween her legs to try and forget the pain. She could feel the Razor Crest lift from the ground, hear the thrusters push them into the atmosphere and into hyperspace.

Not even a moment later, the Mandalorian returned with said bacta kit. He motioned her to sit on one of the cargo crates so he could better attend to her arm.

“Is Grogu okay?” She asked while pulling up her sleeve.

“Yes.”

He was silent, pulling the supplies from the kit and working like an expert as he sat across from her. She let her tired eyes rest on his mask, on the V slit where he must have been calculating how to best attend to her wound. She wondered if he was as old or young as she had imagined him to be, what color his hair, his eyes were.

Shocked with herself, after not knowing this man for more than a month, she cleared her throat and looked down at her arm. Mando had just raised a bacta swab to disinfect it when Thell felt a presence at her feet, and gently scooped Grogu into her lap with her good arm. She could see the way he looked at her wound, the way his ears tilted and how he made that little noise of concern.

“It’s okay... Your friend here is gonna help me,” Thell said softly.

But what surprised Thell the most was the way that Mando dropped the bacta swab, and Grogu crawled across her lap to gently place his three toed hand on her arm. Thell looked up at the Mandalorian, confused, but he only dipped his head.

She could only watch in pure wonder as the child’s eyes squinted, and his hand quivered slightly over her wound. Thell flinched, watching as the burning, the charred skin, the pain and terror of it all completely subsided, and she was only left to stare at the little alien in awe.

“Wh... What did he just do?” Thell asked in amazement.

The Mandalorian laughed. Almost. Just the smallest tremble of his shoulders.

“He can, uh, heal people sometimes... He must like you a lot.”

Thell smiled, feeling almost like she belonged amongst them. “Well, thank you, little guy. I guess we’re even now.”

But the moment was short lived as the Mandalorian rose, taking the bacta kit with him and saying,

“I’m dropping you off on Coruscant tomorrow. Make sure you have all your things.”

Thell nearly yelled at him, and she gladly would have, had not she still been shaken up by the attack. She had hoped that somewhere deep down, he would decide to take her in, be a part of the weird crew he was building. But what had she expected? Running off with a merciless bounty hunter in the middle of the night after he had kidnapped her own master, and now expecting him to take mercy on her?

No. She was just a servant, a simple girl who had no knowledge of the world beyond Bespin. And apparently that was exactly how he saw her.

So when they landed on a large docking bay in Coruscant, Thell didn’t leave any lingering glances to the interior of the ship that had become her home over the past month. She only stood with one hand holding her pack, letting her cloak blow in the constant breeze of the skyline of Coruscant. It was larger and scarier than she had imagined, even seen in holos.

Thell’s eyes had been locked on the flying vehicles when she felt a tug on her pant leg. Grogu sat at her feet, looking up at her with sweet eyes. She knew she couldn’t stay long, but she scooped the child up anyway, snuggling him close and kissing his head. He made soft sounds against her neck, and even felt his small hands gripping the color of her shirt. If she would miss anyone, it would definitely be the kid.

But she couldn’t help but feel a pang of loss when she heard the Mandalorian approaching, and turned to realize he must have seen them the entire time. Thell stepped forward to place the child back in his arms.

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to say goodbye.”

But to her surprise, Mando put his hand out to stop her.

“It’s fine...” he paused, crossing his arms across his chest. “You’ve surprised me, Thell.”

“How so?”

“You’ve been a loyal asset. Not only have you helped with everything I’ve asked, but you’ve also risked your life for the kid. Those actions don’t go unnoticed, I assure you.”

Thell blinked away tears. “I just wanted him to be safe. I know you want it, too... Thank you again for agreeing to take me. I hope I wasn’t too much of a nuisance.”

The Mandalorian laughed, almost, more than last time. “Not in the slightest... Do you know anyone in the city?” When Thell shook her head, Mando reached into his pocket and extended his hand to her’s. “This should take of you until you can get on your own feet.”

Credits spilled like water into Thell’s free hand, and she gasped, surprising the kid.

“Mando... I don’t know what to say.”

“It’s my thanks to you. For everything.”

After a long moment, she handed the kid back to the Mandalorian, before sticking out her own empty hand. She had rarely touched him, except to get his attention or scurry past him in the cramped space of the ship. The touch was insignificant, meaningless, but somehow, the way his gloved hand wrapped her’s in a handshake made everything more real, more tangible. He was a man under that mask, a man who seemed utterly lonely and cold without the kid. One who didn’t let those feelings get in the way, one who used hunting and running from others as a way to distract himself.

“It’s been an honor,” Thell said, before finally replacing her hand and heading slowly down the telescopic gate. With every step she took she felt the fear rise higher, and even with the large number of credits in her pack, she wondered where she would end up by tomorrow night. Would she have somewhere to stay? Find a community that loved her? Find someone that wanted to know her?

And it all made it worse when she heard Grogu cry behind her, a sound she hadn’t heard from him before. She knew that she had made a noise of the same kind over fifteen years ago, the night of her mother’s death.

“You’ll be okay, my star. Darand has promised to take care of you.”

Her mother was frail, pale white skin and dim eyes. Young Thell crouched over her, sobbing.

“Momma, please, please don’t go!”

“You know I will always be with you, child. Don’t worry yourself.”

“I know, I just...”

Thell heard footsteps approaching from behind and turned to see Darand and a masked man in black. She felt her mother’s grip on her arm, pulling weakly.

“You have to go now, Thell. Say goodbye.”

But she couldn’t form words, because the fear and pain was too overwhelming, and she wanted to numb the feeling as best she could. So she rose to her feet, led quickly from the room without a second glance at her mother.

She should have waited.

She should have asked to have just another minute, another second to tell her mother how much she loved her.

She should have never let that maid drag her from that room.

It solidified her decision.

She wouldn’t let herself be pushed away again.

So even though the city of Coruscant was bright and beautiful, there was a greater treasure waiting for her on that ship worth risking her life for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!! :)


	6. Chapter Five: Nightmares

“I respect your boundaries, your rights as a bounty hunter. But I need you to know that I’m in this for the long haul, whatever it takes. You can kick me off right now but I want to let you know that I’m not leaving without having said my peace. I love that kid, and I care about you too. I know we have a lot to go through, but I’m willing to do this. I don’t know what it all entails, bringing the kid to his own people, having him choose his own path, but I at least want to try. Because I didn’t give enough of a fight last time something like this happened, and I’m not going to do it again.”

The Mandalorian eyed her for the longest time, Grogu’s dark eyes staring back at her as well. She waited, taking a deep breath until he finally said,

“It’ll be dangerous.”

“I know,” Thell admitted.

“I’m a Mandalorian. You know I can handle this task myself.”

Thell threw her hands up defensively. “I’m... I’m not saying all of this just because I don’t think you could do it, in fact... you’re probably one of the best qualified people in the galaxy to do it.”

“Then why offer to help?”

Thell hung her head, debating her answer as she eyed the skyline of Coruscant just beyond the Razor Crest.

“I...I know it sounds kind of selfish, but I don’t have anywhere else to go. I don’t know anyone else, Mando. And even though the circumstances have been... strange, to say the least, I've enjoyed my time. And I'm not totally useless... I did save his life once or twice, if I remember correctly.”

Thell risked a glance at him, tentatively, until she looked at the kid again.

“I could still help with whatever you need, and I promise I won't get in your way. I mean, you’ve probably needed help before, right?... I'll stay out of your business. And when this is all over, I'll find my own way. I promise.”

A long pause. “It won’t be easy, Thell.”

She set her shoulders. “I know the risks. But I’m alone right now. My parents, my home, everything I’ve ever known is gone. I don’t have somewhere to call my own. So what do I have to lose?”

“You know you could risk getting a bounty placed on your head, too?”

Thell nodded. “I’m aware. But... he’s more important to me than any of that.”

She let her gaze linger on Grogu, held tightly in the Mandalorian’s arms. Reaching one arm out, she delicately let her hand rest on his head, rubbing his ear with her thumb. He murmured happily, wrapping one small hand around her thumb.

“Okay.”

Thell’s eyes drifted back to the Mandalorian’s helmet, to the V slit, and she could feel her heart beat a little faster. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“I promise I won’t bother you incessantly, or ask a million questions. I know you don’t like that.”

“You know how to shoot?”

“Uh,” Thell stuttered. “Not particularly.”

“You’ll have to learn if you want to stay.” As the Mandalorian spoke, Thell could feel her heart rise with joy. “And look after the kid. I’ll show you how to pilot the Razor Crest too just in case of any emergencies.”

“Okay.”

“It’s not easy work. This life... It’s not easy.”

Thell smiled, just a small, crooked smirk in his direction. “Wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Because when he clapped her playfully on the shoulder, and the baby cooed in joy, Thell could only feel more at home than she had ever been.

They started slow, gathering some remaining supplies on Coruscant and flying off into hyperspace for another time. The Mandalorian was still quiet, no more talkative than he had been when she was only supposed to stay with them for a month. That had passed now, and while he had opened up to her some, he was still quiet.

She wondered how long this journey would take them. Mando seemed desperately attached to the kid, as much as he would probably deny it if she really asked, so she knew this trip wouldn't be an easy one. It hasn't been easy so far. Thell had nearly died trying to get Grogu back to safety that one night in the woods.

But for once, as she lay down to sleep, the steel surroundings of the Razor Crest were warm. She could memorize every crate, indent in the steel, and labeled supply box until she fell asleep. She had no idea how long she would be with the two of them, but for now, she didn’t have to worry about it. While it had taken some persuading and practically begging on her end, Mando had let her stay with them. And while he wasn’t the easiest person to be her true self in front of, she was figuring that out too. Who was she when she was no longer a servant, but a person all her own?

The first night with her strange new family, Thell woke with a start. Sweat streaked down her face and neck and she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. The cargo hold was silent around her except for the constant humming of the Razor Crest. They had stopped in the atmosphere of an uninhabited planet, safe for the moment to sleep for the night.

The hammock bed that Mando had swung up for her rocked as she rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her vision. She could hear the baby snoring softly in the sleeping chamber across from her, and debated throwing her blanket back over her shoulders to fall asleep again. But something like fear was gnawing at her, so Thell swung her legs over the side, carefully maneuvering to slide back down to the floor and grab her cloak. The door to the sleeping chamber was cracked, and she peeked inside out of pure curiosity; but the bed was empty, and she couldn’t see the Mandalorian in the cargo hold. She made her way up quietly to the cockpit to find the Mandalorian lounging in the pilot’s seat.

At her entry, he made no remark, so Thell quietly sat herself down in the adjacent seat, leaning her head back to rest comfortably. She could see Mando from the corner of her eye, his gaze fixed on the stars outside. The silence was comfortable, so Thell relaxed against the seat, letting her eyes follow the trail of stars outside.

“Are you okay?”

At his sudden question, Thell nearly jumped.

“Uh, yeah...,” Thell muttered. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t respond for a long moment, and when he did, his voice was low.

“You seem shaken.”

Thell squirmed in her seat. “I... think I had a nightmare. When I used to have them back home, I would go to a place where I could see the stars. It calmed me down...” she explained, then whispered under her breath, still does.”

Her eyes wandered, pinpointing constellations and planets. A month had gone by and she still wasn’t used to sitting in the vastness of space, with the stars and planets just at her fingertips.

“That’s Mon Cala... I think,” she said, pointing to a bluish dot in the distance. “And D’Qar’s over there. Naboo should be right there next to it.”

She could hear the Mandalorian huff through his helmet. “You know you’re stuff.”

Thell couldn’t help but smile, mildly proud of herself. “My mom used to teach me the star systems every night when I was kid... Not sure why, but it helped distract me from everything else. Guess it can come in handy now.”

Thell’s words drifted off, until she set her eyes on Mando again, genuinely curious. The glow from space littered onto his helmet, showering the Beskar in starlight.

“Don’t take this the wrong way... but how long has it been since you took it off?”

“Last night,” he responded quickly, almost comically.

“I...,” Thell started. “I mean... Since someone saw your face.”

The Mandalorian crossed his arms over his chest, relaxing against the seat. Thell wondered if she had stepped over a boundary of his until he spoke again.

“I was young. No one has seen my face since I swore the Creed.”

“And the Creed... it’s like your code? Your way of life?”

“Yes.”

“Oh,” Thell murmured, and sank back against her seat. Whatever dreams or wishes she had of ever seeing his face might as well be crushed.

“What color is your hair?” He slowly turned her direction, until Thell had to throw her hands up. “What? You get to see my face all the time.”

“It’s brown.”

. . . .

“Hold it here, on the grip. And make sure that the safety is off before you shoot.”

“The safety?”

“Right here. It doesn’t let you fire if it’s on.”

Thell’s eyes widened. “Oh. Okay.”

The Mandalorian passed the small black blaster to her, to which she hesitantly wrapped her fingers around the grip.

“Hold it even with your shoulder, one hand to stabilize yourself.”

Thell did as he had instructed, carefully pointing the blaster to a target he had set up several yards away. They had landed on a small desert planet just outside a small neighboring village. The air was more dry and warm here than Thell had ever experienced, and she was constantly wiping sweat away from her eyes.

She shook droplets from her forehead against before readjusting her arm, pointing the blaster towards the target. The last time she had held a blaster was the night she had first met him, the one the guard had forced into her hands.

He had killed that guard, and it suddenly rocked her.

Slowly, she set her arms down, letting them rest at her sides. The Mandalorian was quiet, but Thell could sense he was waiting for her to shoot. After a moment, he asked,

“What’s wrong?”

Thell couldn’t make eye contact with him; she could only see the blaster being shoved into her hands, all over again.

“I... I can’t do this right now,” she said, starting to stumble back. “I need a break.”

As she turned to leave, she felt the Mandalorian’s iron grip on her wrist, keeping her close.

“Thell,” he said, gazing down at her. “What’s going on?”

Instead of answering, she gently placed the blaster in his empty hand and pulled out of his grip, turning her back to him.

Taking a deep breath, she answered, “The last time I held a blaster was the night you took Darand. It was given to me from a guard you killed.”

When all the Mandalorian did was stay quiet, Thell said, in a rather low tone, “There was blood on the blaster. His blaster. It was the one I was defending myself with... but why? Why am I using one now if just to do the same thing?”

“Because you chose this.”

“But I... I can’t kill someone. Having that weapon in my hands... it felt like too much power. It was too much power.”

“Sometimes we can’t make those calls.”

Thell turned, slowly, peered at him from the corner of her eye. “What do you mean?”

“... Sometimes the moment comes too quick, and we’re forced to make a decision: we choose to live, or we die. You would protect the kid, wouldn’t you? Protect yourself?”

“Yes... but I... At what cost?”

“You can’t ask yourself those questions when you're forced in the moment. But you can decide right now whether or not the kid is that important to you.”

Thell could feel tears in her eyes; she knew she had to make the decision, but somehow, it was pressing against her harder than she had imagined. This was all part of becoming her new self, her identity as a new person. She knew she didn’t want to be a killer, she never would be.

But if it meant protecting herself, the kid, and even Mando himself, she would do it.

But she could only nod, blinking away tears.

“Then you know why I’m giving you this.” When he passed her the blaster again, Thell took it with trembling hands.Without Mando having to instruct her, she raised the blaster at shoulder level again, switching off the safety with ease. The weapon still shook, so Thell closed her eyes, letting the fear wash away momentarily as she realized that she was in control. 

With her eyes back open, and every intent and all attention focused on the target, she fired, shooting straight through the center of the circle and leaving a gaping, blazing hole. 

“I’m not saying it’s easy, but sometimes it’s all you have.”

Mando trained her during the first week, until Thell felt comfortable enough shooting the targets. The nightmares remained, now wrought with blurry images of standing over that guard, and Thell still found herself wandering into the cockpit. The Mandalorian had never been much of a conversationalist, but it eased her to know that he didn’t mind her company. He didn’t hide away once she entered or showed disinterest in her conversation topics. In fact, she was getting to know him too. He was, slowly but surely, becoming her friend. At night, amidst starlight, she felt more comfortable not being expected to hold a blaster and fire at targets. Here, she felt more herself.

“Do you ever sleep?” She asked him one night.

“Yes.”

“... just seems like you’re in here most nights.”

“You are, too.... we train all day. Aren’t you tired?”

Part of her was.

“I... a bit. But I enjoy this.”

“Hm,” was all the Mandalorian said.

Getting a reading of his emotions had been the hardest part for Thell. Without seeing his face, or hearing much of a tone change in his modulated voice, it was hard for her to pinpoint exactly how he was feeling. He didn’t seem annoyed at her most days, but sometimes doubt would creep into her mind. Was he going to change his mind in letting her stay if she asked too many questions? What were the right questions to ask? Who was this guy, anyway?

But he seemed to get there first.

“Still having the nightmares?”

Thell’s brows raised. “Um... Yeah. I am.”

“What do you see?”

She leaned against the seat, trying to figure out what he was getting at. “That guard you killed... The one that gave me the blaster.”

“You see him every time you hold it.” When she nodded, the Mandalorian continued. “That’s the fear holding you back, Thell. You’ll have to learn to overcome it.”

“How?”

“You have to fight your own demons... figuring out who you want to be.”

Finally, was all Thell could think. All she had ever wanted to be, since she was a kid, was her own person, not a husk of someone who had come before her or the expectations of another.

But having someone else put it into words was more than frightening, and all she could think of were the millions of questions that were racing through her head. How does she find out who she’s meant to be, where she’s meant to be? Who is she without her parents or original home?

But she could deal with those questions later, or she knew they would consume her would she let them sit. Instead, she perked up, directing her attention back at the Mandalorian.

“Mando?”

“Yes?” His voice was nearly soft, his attention focused on the stars outside the cockpit window.

But Thell’s eyes were on the strange signet on his right shoulder pauldron, an animal of some sort with a large horn. It was a symbol for something, and Thell knew it.

“The symbol on your shoulder,” she started, pointing to her own shoulder. “What is it?”

“It’s the sign of the Mudhorn.”

Thell’s brows creased. “And... what’s it for?”

“It’s my Clan.”

“Clan Mudhorn, then?” At her question, Mando nodded. “I haven’t heard of that clan before...”

“It’s because it’s just the kid and me... I had to fight a Mudhorn on Tatooine to get back pieces of the Razor Crest that Jawas had stolen from me.” The way he spoke of the past, how recent Thell wasn’t sure, made him warmer in her mind. This strange crew of two, a rugged Mandalorian and his adopted green baby, were their own clan.

Thell couldn’t help but feel a slight fondness rise in her soul for them. Yes, she loved them, the kid especially, before he had agreed to take her on to help his cause, but now something was different. Because the child wasn’t just this small, helpless creature, and the Mandalorian was not the same man that had walked in on her that night with Grogu in her arms, a blaster pointed directly at her face. He had been ready to kill her, would have, if she hadn’t let Grogu go.

She still didn’t know them very well, but she knew he wouldn’t kill her now. No, maybe not ever. Because she was risking tooth and limb, every opportunity she had at some normalcy in her life, to return this child to where he belonged. And she would gladly do it if it meant having Mando accompany her, protect her. He didn’t see her like everyone else did, like the daughter of a servant, like a lower class citizen. And it made something deep swell within her heart, a feeling she had never allowed herself to feel before.

She just wondered if he felt any ounce of the same thing she did.

“Does the name Sai’Lya have any significance?”

His question tore her out of her trance, and Thell blinked to look at him clearly.

“I don’t think so. Why... Do you know something?”

He shook his head lightly, his attention turning back towards the stars. “I don’t.”

“Hm,” Thell muttered, slouching against her seat and letting her fingers toy with the leather cord around her neck, the one holding the necklace to her body.

“Oh!” She exclaimed, nearly jumping up from the seat and wondering if she had scared Mando.

“I do have one thing of my dad’s... I was gonna show you, the night those people shot at us.”

His helmet slowly turned her way as Thell fished the necklace out from inside her tunic, gently turning it over and in Mando’s direction. It was small, made of some smooth metal, depicting some leonid creature: a cat with large fangs.

“I’m not sure what it is,” Thell explained with a shrug as she turned to lean towards him. “But it’s the only thing I’ve ever had of my father’s.”

Suddenly, Mando went rigid as his eyeline found the necklace, and Thell felt her blood go cold. He leaned forward, ever so slowly.

“Mando, is something wrong?” She asked, her voice shaking. “What’s going-"  
His hand suddenly shot forward, the gloved fingers gently holding the necklace out. He was close now, so close Thell could clearly hear him breathing under the helmet.

“This,” he started, and Thell swore she could hear his voice break under the mask.

“This is Mandalorian.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading, voting, commenting, etc! literally means the world to me that people are liking this little story i decided to start writing randomly one night! 
> 
> also, do not worry! *soft* din is coming very, very soon(my favorite version of him, tbh)! just build up right now. ;)


	7. Chapter Six: Nevarro

“W... What?”

“Your necklace... This symbol, it’s Mandalorian.”

Thell’s brows creased, and her mouth suddenly felt dry.

“My father... was he a Mandalorian?”

“I’m not sure... This looks like Clan Eldar, but they haven’t existed for at least two decades. I don’t know why your father would have this.”

He let the necklace drop back against her tunic, but Thell could only pick it back up and stare at the gleaming metal. Her mind was ringing, her confusion suddenly turning to wonder, to curiosity. Who had her father been, truly? Was this some reason as to why her mother had never spoken about him?

But she couldn’t think about it for too long, because suddenly the ship rocked under her feet and she was thrown to the ground. Knees collided with the steel flooring, bruising her skin, but she felt strong hands pulling her up by her arms, back up to her feet. Over the haze of the vision and the loud beeping ringing inside the Razor Crest, she could just make out Mando’s mask in front of her. He was holding her shoulders, shaking her.

“Did you hear me?” He was practically yelling. “Get the kid, and get back up here!”

Thell sprang up from her seat, careening towards the staircase and throwing herself down into the cargo hold.

“Grogu!” She called, feeling the ship rock underneath her feet as she spotted the small green baby several feet from her. Once the kid was in her arms, she raced back to the cockpit, strapping him securely in the adjacent seat and fixing her belt next. The Mandalorian was strapped in as well, his gloved hands flickering over the control panel. Lights flashed above her head, and that incessant beeping continued until there was a constant buzz in Thell’s ears.

“Hey!” Thell called over the noise. “What’s going on?”

“A lone TIE fighter,” Mando explained. “He must know about the kid... hold on.”

With a jerk of his wrist, the Razor Crest plowed forward, diving in an arc that caused Thell to become pressed up against the seat. The next moment, it lurched backwards, and nausea rose in her throat. The beeping had stopped, but Thell could hear the excited squeals of the child beside her. At the moment that the Razor Crest flew stable again, she cast a glance to her side: the kid had his tiny hands raised, his large eyes scrunched in pure joy. She would have laughed, would have nearly smiled had a loud explosion above her head caused the ship to lurch forward again. Mando cursed, something in a language that Thell didn’t recognize, before slamming a handle up and sending them flying into hyperspace.

Thell was jerked forward again only to be slammed back against the seat, until finally, the ship lulled. The ground still vibrated beneath her feet, but they seemed safe for the moment. The beeping had stopped, but with his tense shoulders, Thell could tell that the Mandalorian was stressed. Her eyes flickered back to Grogu, who was playing happily with that same metal orb from earlier in the week.

“Mando?” Thell said softly, as not to stress him out more, and leaned forward when he didn’t reply.

“Mando, what happened?”

“He hit one of the thrusters,” he replied, but his voice was gruff as always. “We’re going to have to land before that thing blows.”

“Are we gonna be okay?” Thell asked, casting a quick glance at Grogu.

Suddenly Mando turned halfway in his seat, clasping her shoulder firmly. Something in his touch surprised Thell.

“We’ll be fine. We’re going to see some friends.”

They landed on the volcanic planet Nevarro, just outside a small village. Mando was in the cargo hold while Thell had one arm wrapped around Grogu. The Mandalorian turned back towards her, pushing a blaster in her direction.

“You won’t need it, but just in case.”

Thell eyed the weapon carefully before nodding and sticking it in a loose space in her trousers, a spot she could grab from easily.

“Mando.”

He turned slightly. “What is it?”

Her fingers found the necklace again. “Are we... Will I figure out what this is?”

“We will. Let’s just get this finished first.”

With Grogu in her arms, she followed the Mandalorian down the side ramp into the still air of Nevarro. It was surprisingly quiet for a village this size, so Thell stayed close to the Mandalorian’s side. They hadn’t ventured into many villages together, if any, and she felt surprisingly safe with him so close. She knew she could shoot if she needed to, but it was nice knowing Mando would respond first.

Waiting for them at the entrance to the village were two other humans: an older, gruff looking black man and a middle aged woman with black hair that was braided along one side. Both looked like seasoned warriors in Thell’s eyes, so she found herself slinking closer to the Mandalorian’s side. But he was calm, walking with a confidence that Thell only wished she had.

But any fear she had diminished as the man stepped closer, opening his arms in greeting.

“Mando!” He said, stepping closer to the Mandalorian. “Good to see you, old friend.”

They shook hands, all the while the man’s eyes were directed on Grogu.

“I see the baby is well taken care of,” the man said, with a mischievous look in Mando’s direction. Something passed between them, some deep, unspoken thing. With one hand on his hip, Mando motioned to Thell.

“This is Thell Sai’Lya, she’s traveling with the kid and me.” When he introduced her, pride swelled in her chest.

“Thell, this is Greef Karga.” Thell leaned forward to shake his hand, until he motioned the baby to himself.

“Ah, my little green friend!” When Thell cast an anxious look in Mando’s direction, he only dipped his head. She hesitantly passed Grogu to Karga, who gently held the kid and cooed playfully at him. The kid looked happy enough, so Thell could feel her soul become more at ease.

Mando had stepped aside, now talking to the other woman who had accompanied Karga. She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but they could only talk so quietly in the soft atmosphere of the volcanic planet. Karga seemed busy as it was entertaining Grogu, who was babbling happily in his arms.

“Who’s the girl?” The woman’s voice was hard, but something about the way she dressed and held herself told Thell it was just how she normally was.

“Thell Sai’Lya. I took her on about a month ago.”

“A month?” The woman said, almost in disbelief. “Hell, Mando, I thought you didn’t like anyone but the kid.”

Thell couldn’t help but almost laugh when she saw the Mandalorian go stiff under her assuming response.

“It, it’s not like that. She’s helping with the kid.”

The woman smirked, a knowing smirk that made Thell almost feel embarrassed for the Mandalorian.

“Right, Mando, and I’m the one that’s wearing a mask,” she sneered before walking over to where they stood, looking Thell up and down. The Mandalorian slowly followed after her, keeping one hand placed on his hip. Thell watched his attention flicker back and forth between her and the kid in Karga’s arms.

“Cara Dune,” she said, extending her own hand.

The smile she gave Thell was comforting, so she stuck out her own hand.

“Thell Sai’Lya, it’s nice to meet you two.”

“We can’t stay long, but I had a run in with a TIE,” the Mandalorian explained. “Seemed to blow the right thruster all the way through. I just need repairs done.”

“I can get some men on it right away,” Karga said, with the baby still in his arms. “For now, let’s go have a drink.”

. . . .

“So, where are from, young Sai’Lya?”

Looking up from her drink, Thell made eye contact with Greef Karga, who was already looking at her expectantly.

The bar was quiet, a semi warm breeze drawn in from the open arched doorway ruffling the collar of Thell’s cloak. Cara Dune was on her other side, slouched with one arm draped over the edge of the booth, a dark colored drink in her other hand. The Mandalorian, her unusual confidante in all of this, was next to Karga, holding the child as Grogu sipped on broth.

“I’m from Bespin,” Thell answered, scrunching her fingers into her pantleg.

“Bespin, huh?” Karga added. “What were you doing all the way out there?”

“I was born there... I worked there until I met Mando.”

“And how, exactly, did you two cross paths?” Cara asked suddenly.

Thell swallowed heavily, and cast an anxious glance at the Mandalorian. Surely they knew his reputation as a bounty hunter.

“He assassinated my master and I basically begged him to take me off the planet,” Thell said, as casually as she could, before taking a large sip of her drink. To her surprise, the table had gone quiet, and she raised her head to see Cara and Karga both staring at her with their lips parted. The Mandalorian was quiet, but something about the way he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck caused Thell to wonder if he was trying to hold in a laugh.

She could feel a smile rising on her own lips, so she quickly added, “I found Grogu first. He’s the only reason why I wanted to come in the first place.”

She meant it as a joke, and she hoped Mando would catch on. Cara and Karga had definitely caught on, as they both snickered behind their drinks. To her relief, the Mandalorian seemed to relax against the booth, shrugging lightly when Thell looked his way. She wished she could see him under the helmet, whether or not he was grinning from her comment.

They stayed until the sun was setting, and the soft yellow glow of the lamps in the bar were the only thing that illuminated their faces.

“You know, he wouldn’t normally keep people on.”

Thell blinked, halfway through sipping her drink, to look up at Cara. “What do you mean?”

“Mando has always been an outsider. He prefers to do things by himself, keep to himself. It’s the life of a bounty hunter, I suppose. But as long as I’ve known Mando, he also just likes being by himself. So it surprised me after he decided to keep the kid. Risking everything for that little guy. Ever since he took him on, he’s been... warmer.”

Cara Dune shifted in her seat, resting one arm on the table so she could look at Thell clearly.

“And here he is, surprising me again, keeping yet another person with him. I’ve worked with Mando before. He doesn’t like staying in one place too long. There’s always something he has to get done. I think that goes the same for the people he’s around... He doesn’t want to become attached, so he just leaves.”

Suddenly embarrassed, Thell sipped her drink and diverted her eyes away from Cara.

“But... he has the kid. He’s had him for a while. Wouldn’t you say he’s changed, then?”

She shrugged. “The kid’s different, Thell. He... does things that none of us have ever seen before. I’m sure you’ve noticed it by now. I’ve seen that Mandalorian risk more for him than most people would for their own friends. If he’s changed, I’m surprised it's because of the kid.”

“But I wouldn’t doubt it,” Thell whispered under her breath, her gaze flickering to the Mandalorian. He sat on the other end of the table, the kid wrapped securely in his arm, the child’s whole hand grasping his gloved thumb tightly. Thell felt her heart warm just looking at them, at her strange new crew that was slowly becoming her family. She just didn’t want to think about what would happen after they finished their mission with Grogu, what that separation would mean.

“Then... why does he keep me on?” Thell asked

“Beats me. Maybe somewhere deep in that steel heart of his he’s finally wanting some company.”

“Well... he’s not too bad.”

“Hm,” she could hear Cara nearly laugh at her comment, and Thell felt blood rush to her cheeks.

“What?” She said, fixing her hair and turning back towards the warrior.

Cara was smirking, that same knowing smirk she had given Mando earlier.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Thell asked.

“Because you like him.”

If Thell could vanish, she would have, right then and there. She cast a quick side glance to see if Mando had heard, but he seemed heavily engaged in a low conversation with Karga. She scooted closer to Cara, shielding her face from Mando’s view.

“I... I don’t.”

“I see the way you look at him, and trust me, I know it’s not just because of the kid,” Cara said quietly. “You’d have to be blind not to notice.”

“I barely know the guy,” Thell pressed.

Cara’s brows raised, but the smirk remained. “C’mon, you guys have been together a month. That’s more than enough time to see how he is. He’s not too bad once you really get to know him. He has a pretty dry sense of humor if you haven’t noticed already. And he can be soft when he wants to. He just doesn’t like admitting it. I’m sure you’d like to get to know him better... wouldn’t you?”

Thell shrugged, swirling her glass. “I don’t know... I’m not sure if this is a long term thing.” When Cara’s eyes studied her thoughtfully, Thell added, “I told him I would leave once we figure out this thing with the kid.”

“Leave?” Cara asked. “I thought you said you didn’t have anywhere to go.”

Thell shrugged, slouching back against her seat. “I don’t... But I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”

“Well, if it means anything, you’re welcome to come back here.”

Thell beamed. “Thank you... that means a lot.”

Cara’s eyes drifted from Thell back over to the Mandalorian, and after a moment of deep thought, she spoke.

“From what I’ve seen, he seems to care about you too. So I wouldn’t expect to just be dropped off in the middle of nowhere once your deal is up. He wouldn’t have let you stay as long as you have if he didn’t want you around.”

Thell bit the inside of her lip, letting her mind wander. If she did like him, truly, was it worth it letting those feelings rise?

“I don’t know if there's really a point in pursuing this if we’re just going to get split up at the end of the day.”

“I wouldn’t let that-"

Cara was interrupted by the sound of two blaster shots, ones that rang in Thell’s ears. As fast as she could, she retrieved the blaster from its spot around her waist, raising it above the table. Her hands were shaking, but she had stood up, and was pointing in the direction of where the sounds had come from.

But the Mandalorian had been ahead of her, standing with his shoulders taut and his arm straight out, holding a single blaster.

A lone body lay on the floor, steam rising from the hole in his abdomen. Thell couldn’t see his face, but she knew who he was, where he came from, from the signet on his left shoulder. The symbol of an Empire supporter.

. . . .

“Must have been this.”

Cara walked back over to where Mando and Thell stood, waiting with Grogu in her arms. She passed Mando a flat circular disk, one that he turned over in his hand.

“A tracking chip.”

The Mandalorian inspected it closely. “Must have been why the TIE was after us.”

“If it's the Empire, or anyone affiliated with them, I would suggest getting out of here before more of them show up.”

“Is the ship ready?” Mando asked, nearly unfazed by Cara’s comment.

Karga wiped sweat from his brow. “Ready as she’ll ever be.”

“Good.” Then he turned back to Thell and Grogu, and she could tell he was scanning her through the helmet.

“What do you say? You still on for this?”

Thell dipped her head, not hiding her small smile. “I go where you go. Where we go.”

Her eyes fell upon Grogu, whom she snuggled closer to her and ran a hand across his large, floppy ears.

Mando said his goodbyes to Karga and Cara, but Thell lingered outside, letting her gaze rest on the falling sun. Golden rays were cast against the small metal village, illuminating the plates in an array of colors.

“Hey, kid.”

Thell turned, spotting Cara walking towards her. As soon as she was close enough, she stuck her arm out.

“Take it easy out there. I think the kid likes you,” Cara said before shaking hands with Thell again, while Grogu murmured softly against her cloak.

“And I don’t think Mr. Grumpy over there minds you too much, either.”

Thell could feel the heat in her cheeks as Cara nodded her head in the direction of the Mandalorian, who stood on the Razor Crest checking controls.

“You guys are good for each other. You balance each other out,” Cara added.

Thell huffed. “I try. Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to a statue.”

“Give it time,” Cara said with a well meaning smile. “He’ll get there.”

After saying her farewells to Cara and Karga, Thell returned back to the ship, coming to stand closely to the Mandalorian. Grogu was still in her arms, holding onto her thumbs.

“We would have been killed if you hadn’t shot that guy. You were right about this not being easy.”

“Are you backing out?” Mando asked, turning in her direction, and Thell wondered if he would miss her. “If so, Nevarro isn’t a bad place to start. Karga and Cara would help you out.”

But Thell elbowed him playfully, lightly, crossing her arms and letting her gaze linger back to the setting sun. He seemed to enjoy her boyishness, resting with one hand on his hip as his eyeline followed her’s.

“Backing out? Me?” Thell snickered, sweeping a hand through her hair. “Not yet... Besides, we made a deal. And I don’t break promises.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooooh, maybe finally exploring some feelings between mando and thell? 
> 
> thank you for all the love on my story!!!


	8. Chapter Seven: Stories

Two weeks had passed since their stop on Nevarro, and with it, their reputation for harboring the child only seemed to grow. They would have covered more ground, had the galaxy not been swarmed with those looking for Grogu. It seemed as if every inhabited planet they landed on had at least one enemy waiting for them. Thell still wasn’t completely blind to the way Mando would quickly disarm or kill those who were after them, but she still hadn’t become used to it. She brought her own blaster, tucked away deep in her cloak, but she had yet to use it. She prayed that day would never come, but knowing the dangerous mission she had put herself in, she guessed it was only a matter of time before she had to.

Much to Thell’s dismay, there hadn’t been much progress on Mando’s discovery of her Mandalorian necklace either. With the constant need to move from planet to planet, star system to star system, there hadn’t been much free time to just sit and talk.

Clan Eldar, the symbol of her necklace, had seemingly ceased to exist, from Mando’s knowledge, and any trace of them had vanished. And as far as Thell knew, her father was either dead or had no knowledge of her birth. She didn’t even know his name, or whether or not they shared the last name. Either way, even though she knew that only so much could be done, her mind was still racing with questions. Mando didn’t seem to consider her a Mandalorian, which was fine on all her accounts, since she had never once considered herself anything but a Sai’Lya. Even now, she was twisting the meaning of what holding that name meant; never in a million years would she have imagined that she would have run away with a bounty hunter and his adopted child in the middle of the night to wage off worse fates. She was standing for her own, making her own path just like her mother had told her to do all those years ago. Maybe not exactly like she expected it, but good nonetheless.

In the past two weeks, especially since her conversation with Cara Dune, Thell had been watching Mando. Not in a creepy or erotic way, but more in the way that a bounty hunter would. Slow, calculating, trying to figure out why he did what he did.

He was still a mystery to her, even after nearly two months of knowing him, and she was desperately trying to figure him out. She knew he was a quiet, private man, and didn’t want to consciously interrogate him with every question she had. But she was still curious.

Especially when it didn’t help that everytime he was overly nice to her, or protective, or would ask her about herself, that little flutter in her chest went wild. But those moments were short lived, and far and few in between, and would generally be cut short by some interference.

But deep down, she wished there was more time, because she knew that she was getting closer and closer to the end of her mission with them.

. . . .

A week passed, and Thell woke to a presence directly in her face.

“Grogu!”

Her sudden movement rocked the hammock strung in the cargo hold of the Razor Crest so violently she flipped the bed, grabbing Grogu before he could fall out too. Her back hit the steel flooring of the hold, thudding on impact and pain lacing up her spine. The child was wrapped securely against her chest, safe from harm, and once the initial sting of pain had subsided, she loosened her hold on the green baby.

“You okay?” She whispered, to which he climbed up close to her neck, small hands padding against her sleeping tunic. He made a soft burbling noise, apparently unharmed, and Thell’s head lolled in exhaustion.

In the soft lull of the ship, Thell heard loud stomping and that familiar metallic clang enter the cargo hold. Copper hair falling into her eyes, Thell spotted Mando coming in a rush to her side.

“Thell,” she heard him say softly, and there was clear worry in his voice. “Are you okay?”

She felt a hand on her shoulder, helping her to sit up. Her biceps shook, and the child gently slid off her lap to rest on the floor beside her leg.

“Fine,” she murmured once she had sat up properly, bending one knee and bracing herself on her hands. Her back still ached with the pain of falling from her bed, but she seemed otherwise unharmed.

“What happened?”

Rubbing a hand against her eyes, still half asleep, Thell managed to blink up groggily at him.

“I fell. Grogu scared me.”

The child whined, setting his hand and weight against her leg, and Thell reached over slowly to rub his head.

“It’s okay, it was just an accident,” she told him. “I’m not mad at you.”

She tried to stand, putting all her weight on both hands, before she felt a soft touch on her shoulder.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.”

Without warning, Mando had slung his arm around her back, gently but expertly helping her to her feet again. As soon as her back straightened, heat spiked in her lower spine, and Thell sagged against him, gripping onto the shoulder pauldron as she hissed in pain. Even though it was embarrassing, and she was sure she would regret it later, she dug her forehead into the cool Beskar of the pauldron, the cold metal somewhat satisfying enough to distract her from the pain.

But Mando was flustered, and he readjusted his grip around her back.

“What’s wrong?”

Thell ground her teeth together. “Something in my back... Hurts when I stand.”

“Hold on.”

Before she could protest, and before her own sanity could speak for her, the Mandalorian was helping her walk. Her back screamed in pain, and she dug her fingers into the fabric of Mando’s arm holding her shoulders. She would have been embarrassed had the pain not been so great, because he was walking her towards his sleeping chambers. His personal sleeping chambers.

Senses coming back to her, Thell pushed against his chest.

“What are you doing?”

“Being in the hammock will be worse for your back. You can stay here for now.”

His voice sounded stable, but Thell second guessed herself.

“Mando, you don’t have to,” Thell pressed, too embarrassed to look at him clearly. “Really, I’ll be fine in my own bed.”

“Thell.”

“It’s just going to inconvenience you, I can't-"

“Thell.” His voice was stern, but still calm. “It’s fine. I’ll sleep in the cockpit. I’ve done it before.”

Thell would have cried, easily, had he not gently lowered her onto the mat of his sleeping chambers, taking his time in gathering her things from her hammock, and her own bag of belongings from the side crate. He set most of them on the floor outside the chamber, still within easy reach if she needed anything. Thell was thankful, but she could only watch with wide eyes, amazed at his sudden change in character. He was always so focused, but it was never with things like this. Things that seemed so mundane.

He passed her her water canteen before turning the other way again.

“Thank you,” Thell said softly, taking a sip and asking, “what time is it?”

“Just before sunrise.”

He returned to rest easily against the cot, a bacta kit in his hands. Fishing out two pills, he handed them over to Thell.

“Take these. It should help with the pain.”

Thell let her gaze linger on him before taking the pills and doing as he had said.

“Hey,” she said softly to get his attention. “Do we have any leads with the kid yet?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean....” her gaze drifted to Grugu, who was waddling the expanse of the cargo hold. “What we’re doing with him, exactly... don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the kid, but I feel like we’re running in circles right now. We’ve been doing the same thing for three weeks.”

“I don’t know...” Mando said, somewhat defeated, and his shoulders slumped. Thell wondered if he had been up most the night; she hadn’t seen him this exhausted before, and something seemed off in his demeanor.

“Are you okay?” She ventured to ask.

A long pause.

“I just need to make sure he’s safe.”

Thell blinked, watching as the Mandalorian focused on the kid.

“We will,” she affirmed, and when he turned to look at her, she swore she would. “It’s not just you on this ship anymore. I’ll risk my life getting him to where he needs to be.”

He looked back at her, and Thell wished she could see his eyes from under the mask. Her old life, her twenty nine years as a servant seemed so far behind her now. Not even two months with this strange crew and they had already become like family to her, like she had known them for years.

No. They should have never been. She cursed herself sometimes for the ways she held Grogu so protectively or caught herself watching Mando, because she should have known better that it would come to an end at some point. She shouldn’t have been pining after them for so long, just to wind up alone on the other side of it.

Her conversation with Cara Dune was coming back to her, the one where she said that they were good for each other.

But for how long?

“Jek! Wait up!”

She had known Jek at age fifteen. He was a servant in the adjacent household who came and got supplies from Darand’s mansion. Thell could only think back on it in disgust, disgust with Jek and with herself.

“Hey, hold on!” Thell panted, coming to a halt in the alleyway and watching the boy sprint ahead of her. But he seemed to catch on, and turned back, slowly jogging her way.

“C’mon, Thell,” he toyed. “It’s not too much farther.”

Thell had liked him for months, those wide blue eyes and rebellious attitude sparking her interest almost immediately. She knew Darand hated him, but at the time, hadn’t realized why.

Looking back now, she could.

“Jek,” Thell said, panting and looking at him clearly. “I, um...”

He leaned forward, cocking an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

“I... wanted to talk to you.”

Eyebrows creased, he leaned against the alley wall and looked down at her.

“Okay. I’m here.”

Shuffling her feet, Thell licked her lips and took a deep breath. Then she faced him clearly, raising her chin and setting her shoulders so she felt confident.

“I... like you.”

Her heart was thundering in her chest, but it sank when Jek only met her with a horrible silence. His mouth formed in a silent “o”, and his eyes flickered back to the alley as he drew a hand through her hair. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped halfway through before sticking his hands in his pockets and looking the other way.

“Jek?” Thell whispered, feeling the pain dig in her throat.

“Uh... that’s nice, Thell,” he said, completely void of emotion. “I’ll, uh, I’ll see you next week.”

And that was the last time she had allowed any form of that feeling in her heart, because she knew it just led to heartbreak. Especially when this thing wasn’t long term, no matter what Cara Dune might say.

But she couldn’t help those same feelings that had begun to linger in her chest, especially in moments like these. Because he was looking at her after she had hurt herself, and was looking after her.

But as fate would have it, Grogu came to interrupt any meaningful conversation they might have. He was prodding at the Mandalorian’s leg and whining.

“Oh. Must be breakfast time,” he said while standing up next to the kid. “Just yell if you need anything.”

“Okay,” Thell said softly, leaning back against the cool interior of the sleeping chamber.

It was a relatively quiet morning, with no impending attacks on the Razor Crest. The kid was restless, wandering about the cargo hold and the cockpit for hours into the day. As her only source of entertainment, Thell watched him.

“Hey, Grogu.”

The kid turned, cocking his head at Thell. She lay halfway propped against the interior of the sleeping chamber, still feeling too awkward to lie down in the Mandalorian’s own bed.

But it’s not weird if you don’t like him, right? She kept telling herself. No, not weird at all.

“Catch.”

She tossed him the small orb he so loved to play with, and Thell watched with a pure smile as he caught it with his tiny green hand. Footsteps echoed above her and the Mandalorian descended the cockpit stairs, coming to step around the kid slowly. Thell watched as he began to pull off weapons from the compartment in the wall: extra grenades, ammo for the weapon on his vambrace, a long blaster with a sharp point at the end.

“Are you going out?” Thell asked, pushing herself upright. The medicine had already done its trick working on her immediate pain, but she could still feel it press against her spine. She must have landed right on the bone.

Without turning to face her, the Mandalorian dipped his head.

“I have a lead on someone with important information. I’m meeting with him in an hour but I’m not taking any chances. Will you watch the kid?”

Thell nodded, setting her own blaster beside her leg as a precaution.

“Yeah, of course. Grogu, come here!”

At Mando’s nod, the child waddled over, carefully climbing into the bed with Thell, using her arm as support. She cuddled him close, teasing him with the metal orb and admiring how quickly he had learned to trust her. Both of their heads picked up at the sound of the telescopic gate opening, and a warm breeze rustled the inside of the cargo hold. Thell squinted at the sudden intake of harsh, white light emitting from the opening.

“Where are we?” Thell asked over the wind.

“Tatooine!”

. . . .

“Grogu?”

His ears pricked and he made a small sound as Thell said his name, which only made her smile and reach forward to caress his ear.

“I wonder when he’ll get back... he’s been gone a few hours.” When the kid made a small noise that sounded like an agreement, Thell nodded too.

“At least we have each other to keep company. You’re not too bad,” she joked.

“You know, if I’m remembering correctly, Luke Skywalker was from Tatooine. Do you know him?”

The kid was sitting between her bent legs, admiring Thell’s necklace. When he didn’t make any remark, she shrugged.

“Maybe not... But Mando did tell me you were training to be a Jedi during the Republic. I wonder what it was like for you...” Thell drifted off, not even being able to imagine what the kid went through. “That was what, over twenty five years ago? Gosh, kid, you must be older than you look... Grogu? Do you know the story of Luke Skywalker?” At the kid’s small babbling, and with the absence of things to do while Mando was away, Thell began.

“He was just a normal guy, but he was very special, just like you.” She tapped his nose playfully, to which he cooed happily. “He trained to be a Jedi in a time when the Jedi had gone extinct, because the galaxy needed someone like him. He trained for years so that when the time came, he could defeat the Emperor. Darkness and evil had overtaken everything, and people were scared. But Luke wasn’t alone, not like he had been when he had grown up. He had friends who loved him, and people who believed in what he was helping fight for. It was hard, don't get me wrong. But with the help of his friends, he was able to bring back the light, and save those that he loved. He brought peace back to the galaxy, because he knew love and light was greater than any hold darkness had in the universe.”

Her mother’s dearest friend had told her that story time and time again, and while Thell knew her version was not even as half as great or detailed as her’s, she hoped she was proud. Because Grogu was looking back at her with wide, attentive eyes, even with his hands still clutching her necklace.

Thell smiled down at him, bending slightly to not put any pressure on her spine but to gently rub the kid’s ear. He leaned into her touch, chattering softly under his breath.

“Your dad loves you a whole lot, you know that? He may never say it, but I can tell. He really does. He would do anything for you.”

Thell couldn’t stop the tears that came, because she suddenly couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that they would have to separate from each other one day. Mando and the kid. They had become closer than any human and creature Thell had ever seen, and they loved each other equally. They were each other’s home, and that time was slowly coming to an end. When that day came, Thell wouldn’t know how to hold herself together, and she had no idea how the Mandalorian would handle it. She couldn’t imagine Grogu without Mando, or the gruff bounty hunter without his small green friend.

In all her crying, she hadn’t noticed that Grogu had climbed up her cloak, coming close enough to touch her face with his tiny hands.

“Grogu...” Thell whispered, placing her hand on his back to stabilize him. The creature made a soft sound, digging in close to her and touching her own tears. Thell could only cry more, somehow comforted by this strange child that she had come to love so much, even more so in the past few minutes. She wrapped her arms tight around the kid, kissing his head gingerly as more tears came.

“I’ll help you guys stay together, however I can. I promise.”

Sleep was picking at her brain, so keeping the blaster safely tucked away under her waistband, Thell went to lie on her side, facing the cargo hold. The pain in her back was still there, but less than before. The ship was secure, and she felt safe enough to sleep.

“Come here, Grogu,” she whispered, and the kid happily climbed into her arms. She cocooned him safely against her chest, letting her chin just brush the wisps on the top of his head. He murmured something soft against her skin, and even as she fell asleep, she could feel him playing with her necklace, and even wiping away stray tears that fell from her eyes.

It felt as if she had just closed her eyes when she heard the side ramp open. Scrambling upright, she retrieved the blaster from her pants and carefully placed the child in his own hanging bed above her head. As she moved to carry herself out of the sleeping chamber, pain bit like snakes at her lower back, and just as her feet touched the floor, she collapsed.

“Kriff!” She cursed, landing on her hands and knees and feeling the bruises burn across her back. Her blaster was still in her hand, and at the next noise, she fired.

Her shot reflected directly off of the Mandalorian’s shoulder pauldron, ricocheting off the cargo hold wall. Thell’s arm was still out, her blaster hot, and her trembling hand dropped the weapon as soon as she recognized him.

“Oh, Kriff,” she cursed again, nearly smacking herself in the face. “Kriff, sorry!”

She went to rise to her feet, but he was already there, gripping her arm and helping her stand.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologized profusely. “I didn’t hit you, did I?”

“Not if you count the armor. Nice shot, Thell,” he said before moving past her.

If Thell hadn’t been thinking properly, she might have thought he was teasing her more than congratulating her. Maybe this was the dry humor coming out that Cara had mentioned.

“Oh, okay,” Thell panted. “Good.”

“You okay?” Mando asked once she had turned around, putting away his weapons. “Why were you on the floor?”

Thell blinked, feeling heat flare in her face. “I, uh, was sleeping. I heard the ramp open but I fell getting out of the bed.”

“How do you feel?”

Thell arched her back, just slightly, and rested against the wall. “It was better before I fell, but okay.”

“Good. How was the kid?” Mando asked, stepping towards the sleeping chamber.

“He was perfect,” Thell said with a small smile. “Not any more trouble than normal. Probably not sleeping after all that.”

“Huh,” the Mandalorian commented, nearly a laugh. “Wouldn’t count on that.”

Thell peeked past him to see the child snuggled deep in his own bed, eyes scrunched tight in sleep. She couldn’t help but smile and lean closer, too overcome with those ears that looked too big for his head and the small hands that still clutched her necklace.

She leaned away after a long moment, still wearing that wide smile as she glanced at Mando. But the warrior’s helmet was tilted down, already looking back at her, and Thell felt that same feeling she had felt for that boy on Bespin all those years ago.

And she let it stay.

“I met someone who used to be with Clan Eldar,” the Mandalorian said suddenly.

Thell’s mouth went dry, and she blinked rapidly, trying to understand his words and also diminish those feelings that had risen in the form of bright color on her face.

“What? I thought you were meeting someone for information.”

The Mandalorian breathed heavily under his mask, setting his hands on his belt. “I did. I was on my way out when I saw someone wearing a symbol similar to your’s. He was with the Clan before they fell out just after the rebellion against the Empire. He was older, didn’t make much sense. But from what I gathered, they either merged with another Clan or disappeared entirely. That part wasn’t clear.”

Thell chewed on her lip, her mind racing. “... And my father, did he know anything about him?”

“Not much to go off of besides your last name. I told him that, and he said it sounded familiar, but he didn’t know why. With all of that, I don’t know if there's any answer to this.”

The Mandalorian suddenly turned to her, placing a single hologram disc in her open hand.

“But he knows someone that could answer it for us.”

“... Who?”

“A Mandalorian I met on the ocean moon of Trask: Bo-Katan Kryze.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah, yes, another side quest sort of thing! But bear with me, this is all setting up for the good bits! :)  
> also, a bit of deepening the relationship between thell and grogu, because who doesn’t love that guy??  
> 
> 
> thank you so much for reading, please leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed!!


	9. Chapter Eight: Illuminance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a little disclaimer: i am not an expert in mandalorian/star wars history, so some things may not be entirely correct, but i have done some research so that what is included in this chapter can be cohesive with the narrative! 
> 
> thanks so much for reading!! <3

“What Clan is she from?”

“Kryze.”

“... Kryze.” Thell thumbed at her lip from her spot in the cockpit. “Clan Kryze. Duchess Satine was one of their leaders, right? The previous Duchess of Mandalore during the Clone Wars.”

The Mandalorian was still as always in his seat, his gaze focused on coming in to land on the ocean planet. Thell could only see so much past the steam and mist that perpetuated the surrounding area.

“Sure,” was his only response.

Thell cocked a brow, opening her mouth to say something else, but decided against it. Her mother had told her stories of the Mandalorian clans, and her former master had been obsessed with their culture. She wondered briefly if she knew more than the Mandalorian sitting only a few feet from her, if he only knew so much about his ery Clan.

But what had he been before Clan Mudhorn? Had he been part of another clan? And the obsession with his Creed, his strict rules regarding secrecy and removing his armor. They all boggled Thell’s mind. Maybe she could ask him after they left this planet.

It bothered her that he had barely said a word, like he usually did, while they had been flying from Tattooine. Why would he go out of his way to figure out this thing with her?

They landed a few moments later, and Thell pushed herself up from the seat, still feeling that stinging pain in her lower back. But the medicine she had taken early on was taking effect, and she desperately wanted to talk to the people they were meeting. She went to grab the child, to hold him like she usually would when they went off ship. But Mando beat her to it, carefully placing the child in a satchel he wore against his hips. Thell watched him with a cautious eye before asking, “Did I say something?”

The Mandalorian made his way to the ladder as he responded softly, “No.”

“Oh.” Thell bit at her lip, standing awkwardly in the cockpit.

Sensing her silence, Mando turned, and Thell could see Grogu’s eyes peeking at her from the bag.

“What’s wrong?”

Thell cleared her throat, readjusting her cloak. “Oh, I just usually held him. I still can, if you want.”

He stepped closer to her, and for a split second, fear overwhelmed her. But he was gentle as he grasped her shoulder, tilting his helmet down.

“The last time I came to this planet, the kid and I were nearly killed twice. If the wrong people see my face, or his, they would try to shoot us on sight.”

The grip on her shoulder was still loose, and Thell felt goosebumps along her arms.

“So... what you’re saying is... you don’t want me to get shot because of the kid.”

He shrugged, just tilting his helmet the tiniest bit. “You could say that.”

Thell rolled her eyes, giving him a playful smirk. “I didn’t know you cared so much.”

He had turned the other way, stepping just one foot down on the ladder.

“Where would I be without my babysitter?”

The comment had meant to be a joke, but Thell could only feel a hesitant blush creeping into her skin.

With her blaster tucked into the back of her waistband, and an old piece of Mando’s armor strapped chaotically to her chest, she made her way into the village with Mando and the kid.

It was a fishing village through and through; Mon Calamari and Quarren seemed to be the main residents beside the occasional human. They had seemed to land right in the middle of some sort of black market port; vendors lined the sides of the walkways, offering various trades and goods as Thell walked with Mando. Every part of the dock seemed to be drenched, even when multiple fishing boats and ships came in, spraying them with sea water.

They entered a shabby restaurant, lined to the brim with Trask’s natives, slurping away on seafood or bowls of chowder strung in pipes across the ceiling. With the crowd, and the added dim atmosphere of the place, Thell couldn’t help the trepidation that surged through her veins. Out of pure instinct, she kept her right hand concealed under her cloak, ready to draw her weapon if needed.

Thell nearly jumped when she felt his hand on her back, drawing her closer to his side.

“Stay close to me,” he said softly. “It doesn’t look like they’re here yet.”

They sat at a table far from the center, far from wandering eyes. The kid was holding a spoon, sloppily digging into a bowl of chowder. After a minute of struggle, Thell rolled her eyes and scooped into the soup, offering it to Grogu. He made a small humming noise, looking at her with a slightly amazed expression, to which she only shrugged and smiled back at him as he chewed contently on the food.

“Here they come,” she heard Mando say quietly, and watched him as he rose to greet them. Three warriors dressed in blue and white Mandalorian armor approached him before slowly removing their helmets.

“Mando,” a woman with red hair and bright green eyes said with a kind smile. “Good to see you again.”

The Mandalorian only dipped his head in greeting before acknowledging her two other companions.

“Are you taking my earlier offer?”

Thell’s ears pricked. What offer had she made him?

“No. I’ve come for something else.” His gaze drifted to Thell, and she stared back at him dumbfounded, and sat in silence for an awkward moment as they gathered around the table.

“Thell,” she said, extending a hand.

“Bo-Katan. Good to meet you. These are my colleagues, Koska Reeves and Axe Woves. How can we help?”

After greeting the other two, Thell fished her necklace out from under her cloak.

“This was my father’s. I never met him... My mother never spoke about him. But Mando, he knew the symbol, the symbol for Clan Eldar.” At the name, she watched Bo’s eyes light up, and hope stirred in her chest.

“There was someone on Tatooine that recognized my last name, Sai’Lya. He said that you could help me find out about my father.”

Bo raised her hand, motioning to Thell to pass the necklace. When she did, she inspected it carefully, rolling it between her fingers and allowing her colleagues to examine it as well.

“Is your mother Mandalorian?” she asked, her green eyes flickering back to Thell. “What’s her name?”

She shook her head. “She wasn’t... but her name was Seba.”

It seemed as though a shock wave passed through Bo, because she suddenly went rigid, blinking fast and passing looks between her colleagues. Thell felt the breath catch in her throat.

“What?” She asked, almost desperate. “What is it?”

“Eight years ago, I gathered together the Clans that were willing to become part of the Mandalorian resistance against the Empire. One of those Clans was Eldar. They were smaller than most, but fierce, and I remember their symbol.” She lifted the necklace, letting the metal gleam in the restaurant's soft light.

“There was a great warrior among them, I remember him well. His name was Theldar Avan. We worked closely together during the rebellion. At the time, he had no family with him, but he talked greatly of the woman he loved... A woman called Seba.”

Chills raced up her arms. “My mother.”

“Yes,” Bo affirmed, with a somewhat sad smile. “But from what I gathered, he had ruined things between them long ago, and she didn’t want to see him. But he often talked of his child, the one with big, sparkling brown eyes and wild copper hair. He always said she was the reason he kept on fighting.”

Her whole body was trembling now. “Is he... is he still alive?”

“No, unfortunately,” Bo said, and Thell’s heart sank. “At the height of the Rebellion, he sacrificed himself to rescue war prisoners on an Empire base. I... I don’t believe there was any way he could have survived the explosion.”

Suddenly her hand was reaching forward, clutching Thell’s closed fist.

“Your dad... he was a war hero, Thell. He died fighting for the light, for a galaxy where you would be safe.”

Thell couldn’t stop the tears that were escaping. She had never even known him, nothing but the necklace, and all the information was overwhelming and beautiful all at once. Here was someone who knew her father, who fought alongside him, and she was speaking of him with such honor and credit. So many of her burning questions had been answered, and even though he had been dead for a quarter of her life, she felt like she actually knew him now.

And it suddenly felt like all eyes were on her. And they were. All five of them, even little Grogu, were staring at her.

“Excuse me for a second,” she said before sweeping out from the table, gathering her cloak over her shoulders and heading straight for the entryway. To her relief, she couldn’t hear anyone get up and follow her, so she dashed down the first empty alleyway she saw. There was a tower of empty crates to her left, and a spot where she could sit and cry where no one could find her.

Growing up, she had become good at this. There was only so much space on the Razor Crest, only so many private areas, so she felt as if she was letting out two months worth of emotion as she curled up on the cold pavement, surrounded by distant sprays of water and the smells of ocean life.

Theldar Avan.

She had been named after him. He had known who she was. He had loved her.

Thell cried, head tucked between her knees, until her eyes felt raw from rubbing at them. It was only when she sensed a presence coming towards her, and loud stomping, that her senses came back to her.

Whipping out the blaster from under her cloak, Thell pointed it directly at the stranger, standing several feet above her.

“Careful there.”

When Thell raised her head, the Mandalorian was standing above her, the Beskar steel glinting like diamonds in the dim sunlight. He looked like he had the night they had met, the night he had stumbled in on her holding Grogu in that living room. Except now, she knew him, knew what color his hair was, knew how both protective and kind he could be. He was no longer a feared bounty hunter in her eyes, but something, someone, greater. In fact, it calmed her immensely to see him of all people.

His baritone voice nearly calmed her, and also made her realize how much of a mess she must have looked like. Thell wiped at her eyes again, but she knew he had seen her cry before, so she stood anyway. Pain nipped at her lower back, and Mando seemed to notice, because he bent down to help her before she collapsed.

“S... Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time you’d shot at me,” he said, sounding sarcastic through the mask. He stepped back just a bit to allow her more space. Even in all her emotions, Thell threw him an amused sideways glance and smirked.

“You okay?”

Had she not just been sobbing, Thell might have beamed ear to ear.

“I... I just got a little overwhelmed, that’s all,” she explained. “I didn’t know anything about my father before today. I had no idea he was involved in all of this.”

“Your father sounded like a brave man.”

Thell wiped away a stray tear on her face. “Yeah. He was.”

“I would have been honored to fight alongside him,” he said suddenly, and that’s when Thell beamed. “I don’t like the Empire any more than they did.”

“Mando...” Thell began softly. “Thank you. And thank you for bringing me here. I feel more... complete.”

He straightened at her words, but quickly looked to the side, keeping his hands loose around his waist.

“We should get back.” Thell went to nod, just lightly, before he looked down at her again. Suddenly his hand was raised to her head, gently tucking away a wisp of wild hair that had flown in her face. The same thing her mother did so many times over. She briefly wondered if her father had done it too.

But Mando doing it, such a simple action, made Thell’s heart swell with thankfulness. In a galaxy where most everyone she knew was dead, she was glad to have at least one friend. Even if it was this gruff, quiet man behind a mask that was slowly starting to make her feel less alone.

“If you’re ready,” he said, lowering his hand.

Taking a deep breath, Thell looked towards the sun, the direction of the restaurant.

“Yeah. I’m ready.”

. . . .

“I do have some good news for you,” Bo said softly, leaning forward. “... Your father’s armor survived.”

“What?” Thell felt her heart pound in her sternum again, threatening to break free.

“He was on a stealth mission when he died, so he left his Mandalorian armor at our base.”

Thell let out a shaky breath. “Do... Do you have it?”

“I don’t. But your father had many friends in the Resistance. He had one good friend, his best one in fact. His name’s Bolie. If there's anyone who has your dad’s armor, it’s him. Last I heard, he was camping out somewhere pretty discrete.”

“Where?” Thell asked eagerly, almost jumping out of her skin. The man next to her snickered lightly.

“West region of Pasaana.”

“Pasanna?” Mando interjected, nearly scaring Thell and Grogu both and leaning forward. “That’s all the way in the Expansion Region. Do you have any idea how much fuel it takes to get there?”

Bo shrugged lightly. “I didn’t tell you you had to go there. Besides, what else have you been doing these past two months? Flying across the galaxy, I suppose?”

Her colleague leaned forward. “I would think a man of your reputation would have more than enough credits to get by, Mando.”

“Oh, shut it,” the other girl said, playfully elbowing him in the arm. Bo seemed to roll her eyes at the scene.

“We should be on our way,” the Mandalorian spoke, beginning to stand. He strung the satchel with the kid back around his shoulders, going to the main table to pay for their food as the others stood.

Thell felt a soft grip on her arm, stopping her from turning the other way. Bo was looking back at her with serious eyes.

“How long have you been with him?” She asked. Innocent question enough.

“Two months... But it feels like a lifetime.”

Her lip curled at one side. “I’m sure, after all you’ve been through. You know about him, don’t you?”

“Uh... Not too much. The guy barely speaks to me about his personal life... But, what do you mean?”

“You know he is a part of the Children of the Watch.” When Thell only looked at her blankly, she continued, tilting her head down so she could hear her better.

“The Watch broke off from Mandalore... They are a group of religious zealots that follow the Way of Mandalore, ancient Mandalore. That time has been long gone from us, from the other Clans. They have stuck to the ways of the past, and unlike us, do not believe in showing their faces. Secrecy is their faith, their bout at survival.”

Thell blinked, sending a quick sideways glance at Mando before returning her attention to Bo.

“What’s so bad about it?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard him speak of the Way, haven’t you?” Thell nodded. “Then you can see how important it is to him. It is the most important thing to the Watch. I respect him as a warrior, but I do not agree with his following. The Watch is more of a cult than anything, Thell, and he has allowed it to determine every decision he makes. It is a dangerous thing for him to be involved with... and to have been raised in.”

Bo hung her head, readjusting her hands on her waist. “The first time we met, I thought he would blast me through when I removed my helmet. He even told us we were not Mandalorians. His ways are twisted, Thell.”

“... But the kid. He cares about him. Wouldn’t you say that’s... unlike what the Watch teaches?”

“I suppose. Honor to family is about as Mandalorian as you can get, if you call them a family.”

Thell let her eyes wander back to Mando and Grogu, who sat at the opposite end of the restaurant.

“I would... How’d you guys connect, anyway?”

“He was told to look for more of his kind for what to do with the kid. I told him to bring the kid to Ahsoka Tano, one of the last Jedi. She would know what to do. Has he told you anything about that?”

Thell shrugged. “In passing... I guess. He mentioned that some woman told him that the kid has to choose his own path. She couldn’t train him.”

“Strange,” Bo said, her eyes drifting. “Do you know of his plans for the child?”

Thell sighed. “Not really. It feels like we’ve been going in circles trying to run from everyone that’s after us.”

“Well... whatever happens, I hope you three stay safe. He may be part of the Watch, but he’s no less honorable, and brave. He deserves a good life with that kid.”

Once they were aboard the ship, Thell kept Grogu close to her, cuddling him to her chest as she sat in her own seat. The kid had fallen asleep on their walk back to the ship, snoring softly. As not to wake him, Thell deigned to just keep him in the seat with her.

The Mandalorian was in his own pilot’s seat, gloved fingers flickering over controls and switches. His movements were normal to Thell now, after two months. They were in the air and flying through the clouds, Trask disappearing behind them like a lost memory. Mando set the coordinates for Pasaana, and leaned back in his seat, watching the blue and white streaks of hyperspace fly by. It was only when they were in space that Thell finally spoke.

“Mando?”

He cocked his head over the seat for just a moment to let her know he had heard her.

“Why are you doing this?” Thell asked, leaning forward. “All this stuff... with my family.”

He was silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the cockpit window. It had become so quiet in the ship that Thell could hear Grogu snoring beneath her cloak.

Finally, the Mandalorian spoke, and Thell could swear he had removed the mask, because he sounded more human than he ever had, his voice ricnnh and full of emotion.

“I wasn’t able to save my parents, and neither were you. But you deserve to know who they were.”


	10. Chapter Nine: Armor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, I struggled to write this chapter after watching the mandalorian s2 finale. i won't publish any spoilers here, but i'll just say that i have been quite emotional with it all! this show has truly been a comfort for me in a very difficult season of life, and it means so much to me. getting to write more of thell and din's story always makes me happy, and i'm so glad so many of you are enjoying it. it is my greatest pleasure to write things like this... so don't expect me to stop anytime soon! ;) i may just even treat you all and include some potential fluff in the chapters coming up...

Thell was restless.

The ride to Pasaana would be long, so she had stuck to camping out in the cockpit with the Mandalorian while Grogu was sleeping down below. The time was silent, and the lull of the Razor Crest threatened to put her to sleep. But her mind was racing, as fast as the streaks of stars that flew by the ship. In all but a day, she had found out who her father had been, his name, and where the remaining pieces of his armor could be.

Her mother had rarely spoken of him, and when she had, it was with contempt. Bo had talked of her father with such high esteem, so what had occurred that had caused such a divide between her parents? Unless Bolie, her father’s friend, knew anything, she doubted she would ever come to know the answer.

But with the discovery only came more questions. Why hadn’t he ever come and tried to visit her? Did he never hear the news of her mother’s death? Had he even known where she was?

But she couldn’t help but admire him, Theldar Avan, for his bravery and sacrifice. He had agreed to fight with his Clan and join the others in a fight that desperately needed them. He had been friends with Bo and sacrificed himself saving friends. He had died when she was in her early twenties, in a world that still needed warriors fighting for the light. The Empire, the Emperor had all been crushed five years previous, and her father had never lived to see it. Regardless, as she held the necklace that represented her father’s Clan, her Clan, she couldn’t help but feel love expound for him.

Her fingers were just skimming over the metal when Mando’s voice caught her attention.

“You okay?”

Head raised, Thell realized the Mandalorian had turned, looking at her directly from his seat. Her throat felt dry.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Is something wrong?”

“You’re quieter than usual.”

“Oh,” Thell murmured. “... Really?”

The Mandalorian tilted his helmet down. “You haven’t said a word in hours.”

Thell blinked and replied, “I’m just thinking, I guess. How much longer until we get to Pasaana?”

“Two hours,” he answered. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Thell opened her mouth to respond, knowing what she had been thinking of, but finding it difficult to put directly into words.

“I’m... I’m just shaken by what Bo told me,” Thell began, rolling the necklace between her fingers. “I’ve lived most of my life knowing nothing about my father, and all of a sudden, there's just someone out there that knew him, that fought with him.”

“Do you believe her?”

Thell nodded. “I do. I just... It’s crazy how two months ago I knew nothing about him. And then I met you and the kid and so much has changed since before. I thought I would just hitch a ride for a while, make myself some money so I could go live on Naboo or somewhere nice. I didn’t realize I was on a roadtrip to find myself and uncover the mysteries of my family.”

The Mandalorian was quiet, gazing back at her with the mask gleaming in starlight, and the only sounds were the small beeps coming from the control panel. Thell shrank back, putting her necklace down.

“Sorry,” she muttered. “That was probably more than you asked for.”

“I don’t mind. Doesn’t seem like there’s much else to do.”

As he leaned back in his own seat, Thell wanted to talk to him more, ask what he had meant when he said he couldn’t save his parents. But knowing how quiet and private he generally was, and wanting to respect his boundaries, she slouched back in her seat and closed her eyes.

. . . .

“They say he’s not far from here, in a shack off the cliffs.”

“Really?”

Mando put the Razor Crest back in the air, and Thell watched the small village below them fade away. Pasaana was definitely her least favorite planet they had come to so far. With only sand and cliffs for miles and miles, the landscape was less than appealing. As they flew to Bolie’s place, she could only pinpoint small villages and farms beyond the clouds the Razor Crest skimmed.

It wasn’t long before the Razor Crest landed again, shaking under her feet. Thell went to unbuckle before the Mandalorian was standing over her, putting his hand out.

“Wait on the ship with the kid. I’m going to scope it out before we both get down there.”

Thell was anxious to get outside and meet Bolie, but after standing on the side ramp and looking at his ramshackle house, she decided against it.

Grogu was at her feet, watching the Mandalorian step down with his rifle in hand.

“Mando!” Thell called before he had gone too far.

He turned, the sun reflecting off the Beskar in a way that made Thell’s heart jump. Again, she wondered who was hiding under that mask.

“... Be careful.”

If she had seen his face, maybe he would have smiled. “Always am.”

From their distance at the ship, she watched him scour the area, stopping completely at the door and knocking. From here, Thell could see it crack, see an older man open up the door suddenly to the Mandalorian. He seemed surprised at first; Thell could see his arms waving at his side, and to her surprise, ushering Mando inside. The last glimpse she got of him was the flash of his jetpack against the sun.

Thell waited, cross legged at the helm of the side ramp, Grogu sitting in her lap. Pasaana was quiet around them, a slight breeze whistling past her ears, but Thell couldn’t shake her uneasy feeling. It had started as soon as they had landed on the planet, the vastness of the desert and its unassuming safety. Grogu seemed to sense it too, even more so when Mando disappeared inside the house. He was whining in her lap, cocking his head to look up at her.

“What?” Thell asked, tilting her head to look back at him. His dark eyes flickered over her face, but she could tell he was nervous.

“I know. I’m nervous, too,” she said, rubbing his head. “There’s something off about this place... but I’m sure he’ll be fine. Your dad knows how to protect himself. He’ll be okay, you’ll see.”

And suddenly it wasn’t fine, because the house in front of her eyes bursted into flames, splinters flying into the sky as the house completely exploded. The shock wave hit them immediately, throwing Thell onto her back and Grogu halfway across the cargo hold. Pain laced up her spine and skull as she collided with a supply crate, but quickly recovered, too worried to care about her injuries.

“Grogu!” She called in a panic. The fear was starting to invade, and her mind went to the worst of places.

Mando, her friend, had been in that house. She had seen him walk inside in broad daylight. Her only security, the only person that seemed to mildly care about her besides the kid. And she had never talked to him like she wanted to.

Another blast resounded over her shoulder, and Thell pushed herself to her feet, stumbling for a hold against the wall. The house had been blown to bits, charred walls standing lopsided and flames dusting the sand. She couldn’t see the Mandalorian as she scanned the surroundings, not even past the sand dunes and cliffs that surrounded them.

Grogu cried somewhere near her, and Thell panicked, running to his side when she saw him curled against the hull.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” she whispered, holding him tight as she dashed to the sleeping chambers, making sure he wasn’t hurt before closing him inside despite his cries. If she could keep someone safe, it would be the kid. She pushed back tears as she grabbed her blaster from her bag of supplies, limping to the lip of the drop ramp.

From here, she could see the cause of the destruction: bandits. Humanoid looking creatures with tentacles on their faces and clothes that drape down to their feet. There was a single sand skimmer circling the perimeter of the house, with half a dozen of the creatures emptying from the cruiser to the ground. Even from the ship, Thell could hear them yelling in a foreign language, bartering amongst themselves as they began to scan the wreckage.

Thell’s hand hovered over the button to close the gate, but it stilled. From the back of the wreckage, his Beskar armor shining in the sunlight like it always did, the Mandalorian circled around a burning wall. Thell felt her legs wobbling, begging to give out on her. She hadn't realized just how much she had come to care for him, how terrified she had become when she thought he was dead. He wasn’t just her safe harbor, the one that was protecting her from a life on the streets or servitude. Over the past two months, spending everyday with him and the kid, he had become her friend. Maybe he didn’t see it that way, and maybe he never would. But regardless, she saw him that way, and cared about him, maybe more than she wanted to admit. If she liked him like Cara Dune said she did, she couldn’t believe someone like him, with his priorities and life so far ahead of her’s, to ever stop and wonder if maybe he liked her, too.

The looters were in a frenzy, roaring and pointing their weapons straight at the Mandalorian. But he was quick, his blaster appearing at his side and unloading a round in their direction. Thell could only watch in awe as they fell one by one, screaming at the death of their colleagues. The sand skimmer, piloted by two of the looters, swerved the other direction, pointing their guns directly at the Mandalorian. With a simple thrust of the jetpack, it launched him upwards, creating a billow of dust and sand in its wake. The bandits were slow, merely firing upon the wreckage and missing the Mandalorian as he landed on the skimmer itself.

One bandit turned around, only able to catch a glimpse of his armor before the Mandalorian had shot him through, leaving a smoking hole in the sternum of the bandit. He collapsed at his feet before Mando had swiveled around him, uppercutting the second bandit and using the leverage to flip him onto his back. As soon as he had collapsed, the Mandalorian wasted no time in shooting him, too.

With the two looters on the skimmer dead, Mando turned his attention to the remaining one on the ground, who only pleaded for mercy and sank to his knees right before he tore a hole through his head.

Thell had never really seen the Mandalorian in action, not truly, and it shook her to her core. Her fingers were clutching the side of the cargo hold so tight her knuckles had turned white.

Mando was quiet, glancing around the debris and bodies for any outliers. It was only after a long moment of silence and waiting that he started back towards her. She had just started to step down, nearly running to him, when she spotted movement in the corner of her eye.

Two looters had been hiding behind a sand dune, and had just thrown themselves over it to attack the Mandalorian. One fired two shots at him, nicking his shoulders and catching him off guard. Mando stumbled, catching himself on his hands and knees as his blaster flew from his hands.

Thell couldn’t think; she didn’t have time to. Because Mando was distracted, momentarily stunned by the shots, and the attackers were gaining ground fast.

Taking the blaster from her side, the one he had trained her with, Thell raised it at even length with her shoulder, pointing directly at the looters. Mando must have noticed then, because his attention was on her before Thell had already fired, hitting the first looter directly in the chest. He made a low groaning sound before pausing and stumbling back, falling in a heap of dust and sand that billowed around him like a cloud.

The second was still charging towards the Mandalorian, who had flipped over on his back and was trying to get something on his vambrace to work. But Thell stepped down the ramp, ignoring the pain in her back, the one that felt like she had torn muscles. And she fired again, just scraping the looter’s leg, before firing a second time and hitting home. He landed heavily just feet from the Mandalorian, blood starting to look from the skim on his leg, staining the sand a dark purplish color.

When Thell finally lowered the blaster, she could hear the blood pounding in her ears. But she diverted her attention back to the Mandalorian, who had finally stumbled to his feet.

She could just spot him a few yards from the drop ramp, limping and leaning heavily to one side.

“Oh, Kriff,” Thell cursed, overwhelmed with seeing him alive. “Kriff!”

If her back hadn’t hurt so bad, she would have sprinted to go and see him. But instead she rose shakily, pressing her hand against her leg to help herself and leaving her blaster in the dust off the side of the ramp. Thell limped down, her whole body on fire, trembling with the relief that he was actually okay. Seeing him in the flesh, even stumbling in the dust and the mask still covering his face, made her heart leap.

“Mando!” Thell shouted, stumbling over to him once she had descended the ramp, with one hand on her leg before colliding with him full on. The Mandalorian grunted, surprised by both the impact and the fact that Thell was hugging him. She needed to see him, touch him, after seeing the house explode and being shot at by looters.

He was like a statue against her, breathing heavily but arms raised awkwardly, like he had never hugged anyone in his life. Thell could feel herself crying, but buried her sobs into the soft material around his neck and shoulders. That part wasn’t covered by Beskar, and Thell swore she could hear the pounding of his heart under the armor.

When he finally moved, it wasn’t to pull away like Thell thought he would. She felt him sag against her, the exhaustion from fighting finally showing itself. His adrenaline had worn out for the time being, and she could feel him falling against her. She could even feel the lip of the Beskar helmet dig into her shoulder, like he was holding on for dear life. Thell was surprised by his actions, his hesitancy to even respond turning into full-on dependence at her stance.

As if on cue, he stumbled forward, his knee knocking into her’s. Thell pushed back, placing one hand against his shoulder pauldron to stabilize him. He tried to say something, murmuring an apology in her ear.

“It’s okay,” Thell said softly, hearing her own voice break. “I’ve got you.”

Her adrenaline seemed to be fading too, and the pain in her back had returned at full strength, amplified by the way she was standing to support Mando.

“Come on,” she urged, starting to pull away. “Let’s get back to the ship.”

With one arm sling under his, she limped back to the Razor Crest with the Mandalorian, stumbling around the cargo hold as she closed the drop ramp and retrieved Grogu from the sleeping chamber. At first glance at his father figure, he made a low, whining sound, and reached out to grab him. Grogu followed them up into the cockpit, standing particularly close to the Mandalorian before Thell strapped him in his own seat, despite his worried cries.

Even if the looters were dead, Thell wasn’t taking any chances staying here any longer, despite if she never saw her father’s armor. She had seen the Mandalorian take off before, seen the hundreds of times he had turned certain switches or dialed certain buttons. So she dropped him against her usual seat, taking her own place in the pilot’s chair.

“What are you doing?” He breathed behind her, his voice raspy and dry under the helmet.

Without turning, and letting her fingers brush over the controls, she said, “you’re in no condition to fly. I’ve seen you do it a hundred times over, I know what I’m doing.”

Thell heard him shift behind her, like he was going to stand, so she turned in the chair to glare back at him.

“Mando. I’ve got this.”

He didn’t respond, sitting back softly, and Thell kept working until the Razor Crest was purring with life.

“Dank Farrik!” She whispered under her breath, smiling from ear to ear and throwing a glance at the Mandalorian. “See? I’m not so useless.”

He didn’t respond, but what worried Thell was the way he was drooping in his seat. She quickly got the ship into the air, flying past clouds until she finally reached the stars, punching it into hyperspace.

She swiveled in the seat, setting her hand on his shoulder.

“Are you hurt?”

He readjusted in the seat, pushing himself up. “I... I got caught in the blast. I should be okay.”

“I thought you died in that explosion... it didn’t look like there was anything left.”

“I saw the bandits on my radar before they even shot at the house. Got out the back door.”

Thell knitted her brows. “Nothing’s broken? Does anything hurt?”

But he shook his head lightly. “Nothing worse than I’ve had before.”

But Thell stuck out her lip. “But you’re okay? I don’t just want you pushing this off because you think I can’t handle it.”

She hadn’t meant to be so forward with him, but seeing him in this condition, after believing he was dead, she couldn’t help it. He even seemed surprised by her tenacity, drawing back against the seat.

“I’m fine. The Beskar saved me most of the trouble.”

Thell squinted at him for a moment before standing upright. “Okay. If you say so... but you let me know the minute you feel anything weird.”

She moved back to the pilot’s seat, closing her eyes and slouching against the worn material. The next few hours were spent in silence, and Thell found herself falling asleep in the pilot's seat. The pain in her back subsided, thanks to the pills Mando so graciously gave her. Grogu seemed to be asleep behind her, and Mando had fallen quiet. And in the ruckus of everything that had happened, she let sleep overwhelm her.

. . . .

“Thell.”

She woke with a start, hair flying over her eyes. She found herself pushing back up against the seat as the Mandalorian gazed down at her.

“W-What’s wrong?” She asked, slightly panicked. “Where’s Grogu? Are you okay?”

He laughed, actually laughed, and it made Thell’s heart swell. It was small, barely a chuckle, but something about it made him seem so much more human.

“No, everything’s fine. The kid’s sleeping below. I wanted to wake you to tell you to sleep down there, too. It’s more comfortable.”

Thell slowly rose from the seat, making her way down to the cargo hold where Mando followed her. Like he had said, Grogu was sleeping in his hammock, curled in a blanket. Thell gazed at him longingly, bending forward to get a closer look as the kid slept.

“I never thanked you for earlier.”

Thell turned slowly, facing the Mandalorian, whose attention was already fixed on her.

“Oh...” Thell said, still half asleep, feeling it in her legs.

“I would have died if you hadn’t shot them... thank you for saving my life.” He walked forward, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. “I know it was a choice you never wanted to make.”

“Oh,” Thell breathed, swallowing hard. She could still see the bandits she had shot in her mind, the two that would have killed Mando had she not gotten there first.

“Well... I did what I had to. I would’ve done it a hundred times over. But you’re welcome, Mando.”

“Din.”

Thell’s brow cocked. “Huh?”

He paused. “Din. Din Djarin... That’s my name.”

Thell felt as if her eyes might pop from her head.

“W-What? For real?” She gasped, suddenly more awake than she had ever been.

He laughed again, quieter this time.

“Yes. You can call me by it when it’s just us, or the kid. But never when we’re with others.”

She could feel tears pricking at her eyes. Saving him had already been enough for today, and now he was giving her this precious gift of knowing his name. It didn’t help the feelings that were already starting in her heart, and the kind way he had told her.

“Well...” Thell began, lifting her hand. “It’s a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance, Din Djarin.”

The name felt strange to say after knowing him for so long already, but it also felt right. Perfectly right.

He was more than just an acquaintance, or a friend. No, he was growing into something deeper, and Thell feared what it meant. She kept having to remind herself that her agreement with him was not permanent, that she would leave once they found a safe place for the kid.

But she couldn’t help the joy she was feeling, and reveled in it. She deserved that, at least.

He shook her hand, and Thell let the smile grow wide on her face.

“It suits you... thank you for telling me.”

Din dipped his head gingerly, and started to step away. “I’ll let you get to sleep.”

Thell nodded, giving him another soft smile before climbing into the bed under Grogu. She had just pulled the blanket up when the Mandalorian stepped back in front of her, nearly scaring her half to death.

She threw a hand over her chest and breathed, “Kriff, don’t scare me like that.”

“I... I have something for you,” he said softly.

She leaned back against the sleeping chamber as he reached into the satchel at his side, stepping forward and placing two battered pieces of metal in her hands. They were two vambraces, black, gold, and green in color. The colors were worn, the metal dented in several different places, but with a little care, they could become beautiful.

“They’re your dad’s,” Din said as he passed them to her, graciously accepting them with trembling hands. “I talked with Bolie a bit before... you know. It was the only thing he had left of your father’s. He talked of him as a great warrior.”

Thell watched a tear splatter on the metal, running her fingers over the worn armor. This armor had seen great battles, and war, and her father had worn it. When she got the chance, she would wear it too, just to honor him.

“I’m sorry there wasn’t more,” she heard Din say softly.

Thell wanted to look at him, marvel at his sudden change in attitude after he had nearly been killed. Instead, Thell closed her eyes, holding the vambraces to her chest.

“Mando?”

“Din.”

Thell laughed, shaking her head and wiping away a stray tear as she made eye contact with him again. “Right. Din. Thank you.”

He looked at her for a long moment through that mask, like he was going to say something, or do something else. But when he didn’t, Thell chewed on her lip and shifted awkwardly.

“I’m going to sleep now,” she whispered.

Din dipped his helmet once. “Get some rest. I’ll be up above.”

Thell could only let out a trembling breath, and hold the remains of her father’s armor close to her as she climbed into bed below Grogu. The blankets smelled like Din, like long nights and musk and steel.

And she could finally put a name to it.

Sometime in the middle of the night, when the Razor Crest was dark and she was half asleep, she could hear mumbling above her. Din was talking softly to Grogu, bent halfway into the sleeping chamber as he looked at him from the hammock.

“I’m alright, kid,” he whispered, to which Grogu murmured softly. “Shh, you don’t want to wake Thell.”

Thell smiled halfway from under the blanket, trying to contain the laughter she wanted to release.

“She’s taking good care of you, kid. And I think you like her, too.”

Grogu babbled lightly, and Thell heard Din sigh heavily.

“I don’t know where we go from here. I guess we’ll just figure it out... now get back to sleep. Goodnight, kid.”

Thell was glad she was so relaxed, because she felt a soft, gloved hand on her hairline for just a moment, brushing back a wisp of her hair. And Din’s voice was soft, like he wasn’t even wearing the helmet.

“Goodnight, _kar’ta_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehe, some development between the two!!  
> Thank you so much for reading and for all the love!! 
> 
> Mando’a translations:  
> Kar’ta: “heart”


	11. Chapter Ten: Vulnerable

Din was gone.

Everything was gone.

All Thell could see was darkness, even when she lifted her hands and pressed them to her eyes. The only thing she could make out was the steady drop of water somewhere ahead of her. Feet moving like she was walking on glass, Thell prowled forward, one foot hesitantly in front of the other. The air was like ice on her skin, causing her back and arms to burst out in goosebumps.

The steady drops of water only continued, growing louder as she stepped closer. But there was a single light, an omniscient glow that illuminated the puddle at her feet. But it wasn’t water at all, just a growing circle of crimson blood that was beginning to pool around her feet.

Thell stumbled back, landing on her backside with a terrified shriek. Blood splashed around her, clumping on her ankles, painting her hands in red. Breaths quaking in her chest, Thell raised her hand to her face, to the blaster that was suddenly gripped tight in her hand. The one that Din had given her a month ago.

And when she settled it next to her waist, one of the bandits from Pasaana, the strange humanoid creature, was looking back at her from several yards away. Standing like a ghost, blood dripping down his arm and trailing like small rivers off his fingers. Her hand rose like she was a droid, against her own mind, against her own instinct.

“No, no,” Thell stuttered, trying to grab the blaster with her other hand, the one covered in thick blood.

But her hand wouldn’t stop moving until she had positioned it directly at the creature, trembling in her hand like she was being electrocuted. Tears streamed from her ears, but they were thicker than water, and tasted like iron on her lips.

“Stop...” Thell begged. “Please.”

But the blaster fired anyway, launching her head back and colliding with a wall. A crack, either from her head or the wall, resounded in her ears, and her vision blurred. The blaster was gone, and the blood had washed away, but the cold hadn’t subsided.

A figure surrounded by a drab gray wall hovered above her, creaking like the hull of the Razor Crest and casting her in deep shadows.

It was Bleys Darand, her former master, frozen like a ghost in a carbonite shell.

. . . .

Thell woke up screaming, the effort burning her throat as she pushed herself to a sitting position. Her arms trembled as she gathered the blankets close to her chest, heaving out shaking breaths. She cried into the blanket, dry heaving into the material to try and block out the sounds of her sobbing.

Above her own loud breathing, she heard Grogu whimpering in his bed. He was crying softly, bending over the hammock he slept in to look down at her.

“Oh, gosh,” Thell croaked, reaching towards him. “Sorry, buddy.”

She took hold of him, groggily peering down at the kid while she curled him into her lap. He had calmed down quite a bit, murmuring in her blanket.

“Thell?”

She had barely heard the Mandalorian enter, standing with one hand braced against the wall and peering down at her from the entrance of the chamber. Thell trembled, the breath catching in her throat.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, and he sounded like he had been to hell and back. “Why are you shaking?”

He bent forward before Thell could even think, and she flinched, holding the kid close.

“Hey, what happened?”

The tears came again before she even cared, pouring down her cheeks like rivers. She could sense Din moving closer, but all she could do was shake her head as Grogu even tried to comfort her, snuggling into her sleeping tunic.

“Thell.”

And suddenly Din was closer than he had ever been, resting with one leg propped up on the cot and one hand placed hesistantly in the crook of her arm. Eyes blurry with tears, and her throat constricting from holding in sobs, she gently went to push his hand away.

She had been too shaken from the dream as it was, and she knew she felt too vulnerable having him so close. She could have easily grabbed his hand back, leaned into him, felt his warmth despite the chill of the Beskar. She wanted to hug him, see what color his eyes were, tell him just exactly how thankful she was for him coming into her life and how much he meant to her.

But she couldn’t, because it went against everything he believed in, and she couldn’t take that from him. Even if her feelings begged her to.

So when she pushed his hand away, she regretted it.

“I-I’m sorry,” she sobbed, pushing the palms of her hands into her eyes. “I’m just so s-scared.”

“Why?” His voice was gentle. “What happened?

“I... I killed those people, back on Pasaana... I-I keep s-seeing them, their faces in my dreams,” Thell choked out, running a hand through her hair. “I’m just so scared, Din.”

“Of what?”

She whipped to face him, holding her arms over her chest. “Of myself! This isn’t me! I was a servant all my life... I haven’t known anything like this. I never wanted to kill anyone, but here I am, two months deep into this insane trip with you and the kid, and I’m killing people. How do I go back after something like this? I didn’t want this, Din!”

She thought he might yell at her, or storm off in silence like he did sometimes. She didn’t expect him to suddenly reach out, brushing a wisp of hair that had strayed in front of her eyes. He moved it behind her ear, his fingertips curling gingerly to cup her cheek and lift her chin. He was trying to look at her, even through the mask. Even through the glove, Thell felt the warmth from his hand seep into her skin.

He had never been this gentle before, and Thell had never expected him to be. He continued to surprise her, day after day.

“You are not a murderer,” he told her, almost sternly. “You only killed them to protect me. That doesn’t mean you have to think of yourself like that.”

She could feel Grogu in her lap, grasping gently at her hand as Din’s hand left her face.

“Din...” Thell breathed, finally able to speak despite her tears.

“What is it?”

“How do you do this? How... how do you carry weapons on your back knowing what they could do?”

“Weapons are a part of my religion. I wouldn’t be Mandalorian if I didn’t have them. But that doesn’t mean I always use them to kill. I have to defend myself, too... it... it’s not always easy on my conscience, Thell.”

Thell swallowed hard, rubbing her thumb under her eyes. “How do you deal with it all?”

“... I move on to the next job.”

It wasn’t the answer she was hoping for, but it seemed like the only one he could give.

“I... I didn’t get to, uh, send them off properly.”

“Why? They were trying to kill us.”

Thell shrugged. “They were... but along the way they were someone, weren’t they?”

He didn’t respond.

“Growing up, when someone I knew died, I would say a word to them... a farewell of sorts.”

“... What word?”

“Udesiir.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Din went rigid, and Thell looked him up and down.

“What?”

“It’s Mando’a. It means... to be at peace, to rest.”

“She’s dead, Thell.”

Bleys Darand stood above her, one hand on her shoulder. Thell was numb, only staring blankly at the sheet covered body that lay on a table only feet in front of her.

She knew her mother was dead. She knew the minute she had told her to go away so she could talk with Darand.

“You can say goodbye.”

He motioned her forward, and with trembling legs, Thell walked to where her mother lay. She couldn’t peel back the sheet, barely lift her own hand to her forehead and whisper the word her own mother had taught her.

She knew the word. She had said it countless times. She would say it almost eighteen years later, crouched over the bleeding body of one of Darand’s guards, the night she met Din and Grogu. The night her entire life changed.

Little had she known that it had been of the Mandalorian language all this time.

“My mother taught me it from a young age,” Thell explained, drawing her knees to her chest. “We would say it anytime someone in our house died.”

He stood, watching her like a statue.

“Let’s take a break.”

Thell blinked. “What? What type of break?”

“We’ll stop running, just for a little while. I know a safe haven not far from where we are. We could stay there for a bit, recuperate. No weapons, no enemies. Just the three of us.”

Thell beamed, looking at him with wide eyes. She just hoped he saw how thankful she was.

“What about Grogu? What about getting him back to where he is supposed to be?”

“We’ve already been out two months. I think we can spare a few days... what do you say, kid?”

Grogu tilted his head at the Mandalorian, cooing softly.

“I’ll take that as a yes... Thell?”

“Yeah... okay. That sounds nice.”

Din started to turn away, and before she could stop herself, her hand was on his arm, holding him in place.

“Could you... If you’re not doing anything, could you stay close by while I sleep?”

His attention was on her for only a moment before he turned, settling back against the wall just below the window to the sleeping chamber. Thell placed Grogu back in his hammock, tucking him back under his blanket before settling under her own. She had just closed her eyes, dimming the lights, when she heard Din speak.

“If it’s any consolation, your father would be proud of you.”

Another tear strayed down her cheek. “... Thank you.”

They stayed in a comfortable silence, listening to the hum of the Razor Crest as Thell dragged the blanket up to her chin. She could still sense Din sitting outside, just like she had asked him to.

Thell sniffed harshly. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Yes.”

“... What color are your eyes?”

A pause.

“Brown. Like yours.”

. . . .

“Welcome to Naboo.”

Thell practically smushed her face against the glass of the cockpit window, too excited to sit down for the remainder of the landing.

The landscape was beautiful, all rolling hills and waterfalls and forests. Somewhere in the distance, on their flight over, she had seen round-topped settlements of blue and white, and gardens with flowers of every color. So when they finally landed, Thell was already waiting at the drop ramp. Grogu was next to her, cooing excitedly when the ramp opened.

“Just be careful,” she heard Din call as she practically flew down the ramp, the pain in her back having subsided to a subtle bruise.

They had landed in the middle of a large field surrounded by cliffs and waterfalls, at the edge of a small forest. The grass was up to her knees, brushing like whispers against her legs as a sweet breeze rolled through the air. The sky was clear, completely devoid of clouds, and the sun felt like kisses on her skin. Thell closed her eyes, letting her head fall back as she let the wind wash over her, cleansing her, renewing here. It felt like a paradise compared to the other planets they had been on.

Grogu was yelling behind her, waddling down the ramp after her. Whipping around, she walked back to the kid, carefully situating him so he could grasp her head while sitting on her shoulders. 

“You good?” Thell asked, tilting her head up to catch a peek of those floppy green ears. He was making more noise than usual, but he sounded happy.

“You two look pleased.”

Thell turned, catching Din’s gaze as he came close to them and smiling widely. She couldn’t help it.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “Perfect really. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Good... we’ll leave at the end of the week.”

Thell let her gaze linger on his helmet, admiring how the sun shone off his armor. He looked more relaxed here, even having left his larger weapons on the ship.

“Thank you,” Thell said, bumping his arm with her elbow. He silently dipped his head, and Thell opened her mouth to say something, but she wasn’t sure what. Instead, she turned back towards the sights around her, feeling Grogu playing with her hair. Despite her nightmares, and the uncertainty she felt about the future with Din and Grogu, her heart finally felt at peace.

She spent the day exploring the surroundings with Grogu attached to her shoulders, holding tightly to her head and poking at her when he wanted to get down. Even from a distance, she could see Din watching out for them, keeping a close eye on the tree line as he surveyed their location. To Thell, it seemed completely safe, uninhabited, but she knew he was just making sure no one would catch them off guard.

They walked to waterfalls and the bottom of towering cliffs where strange birds descended, catching fish in the streams that flowed. Thell kept close to Grogu, noticing he was always curious and willing to put himself in danger if something interested him. She ended up grabbing him several times so he wouldn’t fall in the streams or be pecked at by the birds.

As evening came, and the sun was setting just over the ridge, Thell returned to the ship. She had gone inside for food rations, having left Grogu outside with Din at the border of the forest. Dirt was caked up her pant legs, and her hair was tangled from Grogu messing with it, so she used the fresher as quickly as she could. When she returned, standing at the helm of the drop ramp, she couldn’t see them. However, there was a faint orange glow in the distance, and she could see the Mandalorian’s Beskar reflecting off the light.

With her arms and back full of supplies and food, Thell made her way over to them. Din had set up a fire halfway across the field, far from the Razor Crest but close to a formation of rocks that bordered the forest.

When she came close enough, grass crunching under her feet, she could see Grogu leaning against one of the rocks, eyes wide as he stared at the fire. Din was standing close by, setting his blaster aside when both of them turned to look at her. Thell stood silently, her arms full, glancing between them.

“Hey,” Din said.

“Hi.”

Maybe it was because she had showed up with her hair wet, draped over her shoulders, or the fact that she was wearing her mother’s sweater, the one that made her look older, that made Din look at her differently. She couldn’t see his face, or even guess his expressions, but his stance and the way he had turned his head were enough of a giveaway.

Or maybe it was the fire reflecting off her copper hair, cascading her in an orange glow, she wasn’t sure. Maybe due to the fact that he held her face the previous night and spoke to her in such a comforting way.

Or because they shared the same eye color.

Whatever it was, it frightened her, because it made her realize she was starting to look at him that way, too. Sly glances from the corner of her eye, admiring the way he cared for Grogu or piloted the ship. Or how he carried himself with such confidence, but at the same time, held an equal amount of respect for her and for others. He surprised her each and every day, this man that had once been cold and withdrawn from her slowly starting to warm and kind.

He wasn’t half bad looking either, despite never having seen his face.

“I brought dinner,” Thell said, trying to diffuse the tension.

The Mandalorian cleared his throat and stepped up to her, taking the materials in her arms and sitting down next to Grogu. The kid babbled happily when Thell sat down at his other side, warming up the soup next to the fire and watching the flames cascade into the night sky, the embers disappearing amongst the stars.

. . . .

Grogu fell asleep in Din’s arms soon after they had finished eating. It was quiet, the whisper of the wind and crackling of the fire being the only disturbance. Thell’s eyes were on the stars above them, mapping planets, naming constellations in her head. Din was quiet too, his arms wrapped around the kid as he leaned casually against a rock. Grogu had fallen asleep with his hand gripping the Mandalorian’s thumb, his mouth slightly parted as he snored. Thell couldn’t help but sneak a few glances at them while the kid slept, her heart swelling with joy at the scene. 

“This place is nice,” Thell whispered, not wanting to directly disturb him.

“It is,” he replied, his voice soft to not disturb the kid. “Do you feel any better?”

Her heart leapt to her throat. She knew that he had wanted a break, but hearing him outright ask her if she was feeling better made a whole world of difference. Did he care about her enough to actually risk them several days, doing virtually nothing but relaxing? She knew he had a mission, to return the kid to where he would be safe, and that was his first priority.

Maybe that was it, too. He wanted more time with the kid. He essentially hadn’t left his side except when Thell had wandered around Naboo with him. When Grogu was near, the Mandalorian was right there with him.

But she couldn’t imagine him leaving the kid. Her mind wandered back to the night she had fallen asleep with Grogu, telling him stories of Luke Skywalker and the Rebellion. The same night she had promised to keep them together, no matter what.

Maybe it wasn’t her place to make that promise, but seeing Din holding his own adopted son so closely, made it all the more clear in her head.

So Thell nodded. “I do. This place feels... safe. I feel safe.”

“Good.”

Din’s attention was on the fire as he held the kid, but Thell couldn’t tear her gaze from him.

“You’ve been alone for a long time,” she said suddenly. “... before him...”

But to her surprise, Din actually responded. “I have.”

“How long?” She ventured to ask.

“Since I was a kid.”

“I’m sorry.... was there... anyone before him?”

“No.” At Din’s response, Thell leaned back, wrapping her mother’s sweater tighter around her sternum.

“Din,” Thell started, eyes flickering back and forth across the night sky. “Can I ask you a serious question?”

“Sure.”

“When we were leaving Trask, after we had spoken to Bo-Katan, you mentioned something about not being able to save your parents... what did you mean when you said that?”

Din was silent for a long time, so long that Thell wondered if he had fallen asleep. But finally, after she had shifted against the grass, he spoke. “My parents were killed by droids when I was young, ones that were sent by the Empire to my village. The Watch came... and they took me. They saved my life.”

Thell’s eyes wandered back to his face, or at least where she knew his face would be under the mask.

“I’m sorry.”

“It was a long time ago.”

“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hurt... it’s okay if it does. No kid deserves that.” He went quiet, and Thell bit her lip nervously. “Sorry... It’s not really my place to speak.”

“Don't apologize... I don’t talk to anyone else about it.”

“Oh... well, thank you for telling me anyway.”

“Why were you so hung up on it?”

Thell shrugged. “I don’t know much about your past, or what made you who you are. And I didn’t want to pry, or be rude about it... so I never asked. I know you’re generally a pretty private person, but... I don’t know. I didn’t really expect you to be the type of person who just spills everything.”

“I’ll tell you.”

Thell sat up, resting on her elbows as she looked down at him.

“What?”

“... I’ll tell you about myself. I’ll tell you about the Tribe... if you want.”

He slowly turned to look at her, and Thell beamed. “I would be honored.”

“And you were right.”

“About what?” She cocked her head.

She saw his hand grip the child tighter, his thumb rubbing over Grogu’s cloak. “No kid deserves that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so, so much for the continued support and love of my silly little story. it is a pleasure to write and i'm so excited to see where it goes... thell and din's more-than-friendship is just beginning :)


	12. Chapter Eleven: Starlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw//: just as a warning for anyone who needs it, there is a small mention of abuse in this chapter.

“I was young. Eight, nine, I can’t remember exactly. My parents were killed in an explosion trying to hide me from the droids that invaded our village. I almost died that day; I would have if the Watch hadn’t shown up. I became a foundling that day. I was raised by the Watch, and I was happy to be in their care. They had saved me, after all.

“When I was older I joined the Tribe on Nevarro. It’s where I acquired my armor. Once I swore the Creed, it meant I could never take my helmet off again, or have it removed by another. If it was, I would never be allowed to put it back on again... I would cease to be a true Mandalorian. I was trained to be a warrior growing up, and once I was older I joined the Bounty Hunter’s Guild. It paid well, harnessed my training, and gave me something to do.”

Thell blinked slowly, processing his words.

“That was until I was assigned to kill the kid. I didn’t even know he was a child at the time. I knew as soon as I saw him that I couldn’t let him be taken... there are people out there who are risking everything trying to find him... for what, I’m not exactly sure. I just know that he’s more powerful than I understand... and he’s just a kid.

“I had always thought that all Mandalorians followed the Children of the Watch’s beliefs. I believed that all were taught to hide their faces, because our secrecy is our survival. But Bo-Katan took her’s off like it was nothing. They all did, and they told me they were true Mandalorians. I didn’t know until then that I had been raised by the Watch. Bo said it was a cult that broke off from traditional Mandalorian ways.”

“So... no one’s seen your face since you were a kid?”

He dipped his head. “Yes. When I joined the Tribe, I hid myself. My identity, my name... everything about me became a secret. It had to be that way.”

“For you to survive?”

“Yes.”

“Wasn’t it ever lonely?” Thell asked quietly. “The life of a bounty hunter doesn’t sound too glamorous.”

“It isn’t... and it is lonely. I don’t stop with the jobs. Once I finish one, I move on to the next. It’s always been like that. I don’t have time to sit and settle.”

“Hm... So that’s what you’ve been doing since you were young.”

“Yes. I stay primarily in the Outer Rim. Since the Empire fell, there hasn’t been a shortage of bounties.”

“... Don’t take this the wrong way... but if you know the Watch is a cult, and the other Mandalorians take their helmets off, why don’t you?”

“I was raised under the Watch. It’s the only thing I know.” He turned to face her, slowly. “This is the Way.”

“Well, for what’s worth,” Thell said. “You’re the nicest bounty hunter I’ve ever met.”

He chuckled, just the slightest lift of his shoulders that had Thell smiling back at him. She sat up, clasping her arms around her knees as she hugged them to her chest.

“Do you know a lot of Mando’a?” She asked.

“A bit... why?”

Thell shrugged, glancing back at the fire. “Well... I was wondering if you could teach me some.” When she sensed him looking at her, she glanced back over and tilted her head. “My dad was Mandalorian. I know that doesn’t necessarily make me Mandalorian either, but I want to know some of the language. I haven’t... I haven’t felt like I’ve had my own identity before. I guess I could start somewhere... I think we share that.”

The comment had been a risk, but after seeing how he had been over the past week, Thell didn’t expect him to get angry or storm off. In fact, it wasn’t even her first thought.

Because deep down, it was true. They were both orphans now, even the kid sleeping in his arms. They all had childhoods that were essentially stolen from them, raised in places that protected them, but under the surface, were also performing great harm. Din was a result of indoctrination, and Thell had been a slave to a cruel master. Now, as adults, they were free to choose their own paths.

He nodded anyway. “Alright. Ask away.”

Thell blinked. “Oh... um. What’s hello?”

“Su cuy'gar.”

“Say it again,” Thell asked, and he did. She tried her best at repeating it under her breath, but it only made her feel silly with Din watching her.

“Hey!” She laughed. “It’s not like I’ve ever spoken it fluently. Why don’t you give me an easier one?”

Din sighed and relaxed against the rock, the child still tucked peacefully in his arms. “Beskar'gam... can you guess what that is?”

Thell squinted, twisting her lip. “Something to do with Beskar, I’m assuming.”

“Armor,” Din told her.

And they stayed like that, talking quietly beside the fire under the canopy of stars and darkness. For a moment, it felt like they were the only people in the world, including the kid. Din taught her words, phrases, even a small bout of the history of the language, all that he knew. Their conversation slowly turned to ones of their own personal lives, sharing stories and experiences.

Thell kept finding herself smiling at him, even laughing at his dry humor. It was beginning to show itself more and more, and she had to admit that this was her favorite side of him. She had scooted closer, sitting criss crossed beside him while the kid was wrapped in a bundle of blankets just beside Din.

“And I stole it.”

“Really?” Din seemed appalled.

“Yeah,” Thell nodded, smiling proudly to herself. “Darand had a whole shipment of my favorite fruit come in, for himself of course, but I couldn’t deny sneaking myself a few when no one was looking.”

“I’ve never taken you for a thief.”

Thell rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t call myself one. It was probably just one of the most rebellious things I did back on Bespin.”

Her mind suddenly wandered back to her old home, to the neverending show of clouds and stars that was always overhead. Of nights crying herself to sleep after her mother died, of her fingers being rubbed raw from her chores as Darand’s servant.

He must have noticed that she went quiet because he spoke, just softly.

“Thell.”

She blinked, focusing back on his helmet. “Oh. Sorry...”

“What’s going on in that head of yours?”

He sounded genuinely interested, so Thell straightened. “I want to tell you something, something that happened to me while I lived on Bespin.”

His attention remained fully on her, and in the quiet of their haven on Naboo, Thell felt like he truly cared for her.

“My mom died when I was twelve. At that point, I basically fended for myself in Darand’s mansion. I had a lot of people try to take advantage of me, of my youth, of my immaturity. I was constantly being compared to my mother or being expected to be someone I knew I wasn’t... No one ever really saw me for me. When I was sixteen, I was walking back from the market when I saw a group of my friends. I had known them for a couple of years. We weren’t close or anything, but I was still glad to see them.”

Thell took a deep breath, glancing at the fire.

“Anyways, I went to go talk to them and everything seemed normal for the moment. But... I don’t know why it happened, but they attacked me. I didn’t even have anything on me. No credits, nothing.”

Thell could feel her hands trembling and clasped them together, hoping Din wouldn’t notice.

“They just left me there, in the dust of that alley. They called me names and told me I was useless and kicked me, and I didn’t do anything.... I just let it happen.”

“Why?” Din asked suddenly.

“Because somewhere deep down I felt like they were right,” Thell said, making eye contact with him again. “I felt like because everyone else had been saying those things to me, it must have been true. No one in Darand’s house liked me. No one saw me. I mean, hell, the one guy that I actually liked completely rejected me to my face and walked away like I was nothing!”

Thell leaned back, surprised and suddenly embarrassed by her disclosure. To her relief, Din didn’t seem bothered by it; he barely moved from his position. Taking it as a good sign, and inhaling deeply, Thell continued, lowering her voice.

“My only source of comfort in the world was gone and I didn’t have any else left. I was just a girl in a galaxy that looked at me like I was nothing. That’s why I was so adamant about going with you that night. Because I knew the consequences if I didn’t. I knew I had to speak up for myself. If I didn’t, I could’ve died out there, in the big world. But I always felt safe with you, even when you were standing in the middle of the hallway pointing a blaster at my face.”

To her relief, Din huffed out a laugh. “Not the best of scenarios to feel safe in.”

Thell smirked. “Maybe not. But I came along anyway.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“Really?” Thell perked up.

He dipped his head once. “It’s... nice to have someone to talk to.”

Thell smiled, feeling tears burn at the back of her eyes. “Yeah. Me too.”

“We have that in common, you know.”

“... What?”

“The thing you said... about no one seeing you.”

Thell’s eyebrows twitched, and she scrunched her fingers into her pant leg. “Oh.”

He was still looking back at her, suddenly gently in the firelight. Thell’s heart was full from their conversations and laughter, to his opening up about his own past to chuckling together about old stories. She was immensely grateful, and something about the warmth of the fire and the peace of the field were causing her barriers to fall.

“Thank you for telling me about yourself,” she said quietly. “I know it’s not easy, especially when you don’t normally share it. But thank you anyway.”

He watched her for a long moment before dipping his head softly, and Thell blinked. Taking a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, she bent forward, clasping her hand gently around his that rested on his leg. She could feel him flinch under her palm, see how rigid he suddenly went under her touch. His hand was warm, large and secure under her hold.

Thell gulped, and her greatest fear came true when he slowly pulled away from her embrace, turning on his side to face the kid. Her hand dangling, Thell could only feel the need to smack herself, curse at how stupid and overly forward she had been. Why should she have expected it anyway, just because they were connecting over their sob stories and growing closer to reciprocate her feelings?

Frustrated with herself, Thell slowly rolled over on her side, dragging the blanket she had brought with her. She couldn’t face the Mandalorian tonight, not directly. So she let her gaze linger to the rocks casted in an orange glow, and to the darkness of the field beyond.

. . . .

“Wake up.”

Blinking steadily, Thell peered directly into the sun. She put up a hand to shield her eyes right as the Mandalorian moved in front of it, casting her in shadow. His hand was on his hip, one arm holding Grogu. He peered down at her curiously, cocking his head and looking back with dark, endearing eyes.

Thell suddenly remembered the night before, the awkward moment when he had pulled his hand out of her’s. If Din remembered too, he didn’t say anything.

Instead, he bent down, offering her a hand to help her stand.

“We’re going into town.”

Thell blinked, gathering her things from the ground. “Town? I thought we didn’t want to make ourselves known.”

“Not particularly,” Din said. “But we’re low on food. We’ll stay low profile.”

The village in Naboo that Din dragged her to was exquisite. Flowers and garlands of every color hung from pots or strung across archways. Ancient buildings soared above her view, the rounded green tops of settlements reflecting in the sun. Gardens with fountains and shining columns dotted the landscape, causing the air to have a sweet aroma. The corridors they walked through were not crowded, and the only inhabitants Thell saw were local humans called the Naboo. She couldn’t help but admire the elegant, flowing robes and dresses they wore, the ornate styles in which their hair was done.

But Din practically dragged her along, keeping her close as the kid hid in a satchel on his hip. Thell herself had worn a cloak, half covering her face. As for Din, there was only so much that could be done to hide the Mandalorian, so he stuck to sticking out in the crowd.

However, to her greatest relief, no one seemed to be bothered by them. In fact, they were more than friendly to the both of them, even the children offering them garlands of flowers as they entered the city.

But Din was meticulous, only wanting to spend as much time in the city as needed. Thell, on the other hand, wandered past vendors with crafts of things she had never seen, food she had never smelled or tasted.

And music.

The sound caught her ears immediately as Din was paying for a package of fruit. Thell turned, her ears perking up at the glorious sound. She had just taken a step forward when she felt Din’s hand on her elbow, holding her back.

“What is it?”

She looked over her shoulder, smiling widely at him. “Music. Don’t you hear it?”

“I do.”

She tugged at his arm. “Let’s go listen to it.”

“We need to go soon. It’s getting dark.”

Thell shrugged. “I know. But you were the one who said we needed a break. What’s a little pitstop?” When he didn’t move, Thell stuck out her bottom lip. “It’ll only be for a minute, and I promise I won’t drag you away again.”

When he finally nodded, Thell nearly shrieked in excitement as they followed the sound. She had heard music played on Bespin before, but only in moderation, and it had never sounded this beautiful.

They passed through corridors and dim hallways to an arched opening. It let them out onto a small balcony that overlooked a luxurious garden, surely owned by a wealthy family in the city. Thell could only tilt her head back and breath in the sweat air as she relaxed against the railing. The garden was speckled with wild flowers and trees of all varieties, twisting cobblestones paths between streams and pools that glittered like diamonds in the sunlight. Out in the distance, the sun was setting beyond the hills, casting the clouds in orange and pink glows. The railing was lined with vines that twisted around the architecture, spattering the balcony with purple flowers. Just beyond an archway in the garden Thell could spot the group of musicians playing, all holding different, beautiful instruments. A small crowd sat with their back to Thell and Din, and if Thell focused enough, it felt as if they were playing for just them.

She sensed Din moving closer, coming to rest his arms against the railing beside her. Grogu was at her feet, murmuring softly until she bent down to pick him up.

“See that, buddy?” She whispered, pointing in the direction of the musicians. “That’s a band. They’re playing music on instruments. Have you heard music before?”

He was babbling close to her ear, his eyes focused on the band. At a certain high note, his eyes widened and his ears pinned back, and Thell couldn’t help the giggle that rose in her throat. When the music settled again, Thell tucked Grogu into her arms, holding him as she began to slowly rock back and forth on her heels and hummed. Grogu seemed to enjoy it, eyes flickering to her when she pulled away from the railing, humming to the same tune as the musicians and spinning.

Grogu cooed happily, and Thell pressed her forehead to his before kissing his head. She giggled again, holding the baby in her arms and spinning while the music continued.

When she finally stopped spinning, and the music stopped, her hair was frayed and sticking to her face. But Din was looking at her, one arm resting casually against the railing and one leg kicked back. He was admiring her, not even bothering to look away when Thell paused, breathing heavily.

“Do you dance?” She asked, breathless.

She hadn’t known what came over her, except that Grogu was sliding down her arms as Din loomed over her, looking down at her through the helmet while starlight was beginning to glimmer on the Beskar.

“We have to get back. It’s late.”

Her heart sank, but she tried not to show it. “Okay.”

With one last glance at the garden, Thell turned and followed after the Mandalorian.

They returned to the ship a while later, but Thell opted to sleep outside again, under the canopy of starlight. Grogu stayed close by, choosing to sleep beside her as she settled her blanket on the ground. Din prowled the surrounding area, his blaster at his side, before coming up to Thell and Grogu. He peered down at the kid, cocking his head.

“Night, kid,” he said lowly, to which Grogu murmured softly.

Thell smiled down at the kid before glancing back at Din and asking, “How many days before we leave?”

“Two,” he said, and Thell nodded.

“It’s been nice.”

“It has.”

The silence turned to being rather uncomfortable, so Thell shifted, rocking on one knee.

“Well... I’m just going to get some water. Goodnight, Din.”

His voice was soft. “Goodnight.”

She had just returned to her makeshift bed on the ground beside Grogu, canteen in hand, when an object on her pillow caught her attention. Bending down, Thell gingerly picked up the item, rolling it over in her hand. It was one of the purple flowers from the balcony, the one that overlooked the musicians and where she had danced with Grogu. The one where she had desperately wanted to ask Din, too, as well.

“Din, did you-“

She went to look at the Mandalorian, but he was already sleeping on the other side of the fire, arms crossed over her chest. Thell let her eyes wander for a moment before settling down next to Grogu, letting her fingers brush over the petals as she drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of a shorter chapter, but just a set up for the next line of events coming up. :) thank you for reading!!


	13. Chapter Twelve: Warmth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i will go ahead and say that i love this chapter. prepare for lots of soft!din and awkward as always!thell.

Din knew he should have never gotten involved. Not as involved as he already had.

He had a mission to complete, after all.

But this girl, this one with fiery copper hair and deep brown eyes, the kind voice to speak him back down to earth and the calm presence when he was tense.

She made him forget how alone he was. She made him feel seen.

And he was slipping, and slipping fast.

He had never danced, rarely even witnessed it among other people. And when she had asked him, he wanted nothing more than to take her hand and feel how warm it had been the other night and have her smile up at him like she had with his kid.

. . . .

“How do you know so much about Mandalorian culture?”

Thell pondered for a moment, Grogu in her arms as she walked the field with Din. It was cloudier than it had been, casting the field in shadows as a cool breeze drifted through the valley. It wafted the long grass against their legs, tickling Thell’s skin through her pants. Grogu seemed content, happily murmuring to himself and keeping a solid grip on Thell’s thumb.

“My mom used to tell me stories when I was younger. My boss was obsessed with their culture as well; he was always watching holos of their fights, or information segments on their history. I never met a Mandalorian growing up, but I always felt like I knew them.”

“Now you have an excuse to know more.”

Thell smirked, throwing him a sideways glance. “Yeah, I guess so. I just wish Clan Eldar was still around. I would like to ask their leaders a lot of things. From what Bo told us, it sounds like they just disappeared, or merged with another Clan.”

“You’re the last, then.”

Thell rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure. I don’t think I would consider myself a true Mandalorian.”

“Maybe not... but you have your father’s armor, and he was a true Mandalorian.”

Thell paused in her walking. “Yeah, I guess you’re right... And what about the kid? You said a while ago that he’s in your Clan.”

Din looked the other direction, then back at Grogu. “After I rescued him, I went to the armorer on Nevarro. She said that by Creed, until he is of age or returned to his own people, I act as his father. He’s my foundling.”

Grogu wiggled in her arms, begging to get down, so Thell set him down carefully on the grass. They watched him, ears flickering, as he waddled through the tall grass.

“He...” Din started, talking quieter. “He reminds me of myself.”

“Big floppy ears and green skin?” Thell teased.

He scoffed. “Yeah, right. I’m a human under the mask, Thell.”

She grinned, elbowing him in the side playfully. “I know, I’m just teasing you.”

When she looked back at the kid, wandering slowly through the grass, she realized he was right. They were more alike than she had realized. After knowing Din’s own story, it never rang more true.

“He has to go to a Jedi, right?” She asked.

“Yes... maybe. I think so.” He suddenly rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.

He sounded tired, exhausted really, and it made a great swell of sympathy rise in Thell’s chest.

“Well... we don’t have to worry about it right now, right?” She said, hoping to settle him. “This is our break. We can just... enjoy this.”

Din crossed his arms over his chest, but he didn’t speak again, even when they followed after Grogu. He had wandered a little farther off, and Thell could only see the grass rustling where he walked.

“Kriff,” Thell muttered, jogging to catch up with him.

“He’s fine, Thell,” she heard Din say behind her.

Throwing a look over her shoulder, she said, “I know. There were just some birds the other day that we’re looking at him a little too closely for my liking. I just want to make sure he’s safe.”

She jogged closer until she could see his little green head moving in the grass. They were approaching several small waterfalls that spilled off into a series of rivers and small pools at the edge of the field.

“Grogu!” Thell called, and he made a small noise, turning back around at the edge of a small pond. Rolling her eyes, she walked closer to bend down in front of the kid, rubbing his head.

“Don’t go too far, buddy,” she said, caressing his ears. “I don’t want to lose you.”

He made a small purring noise, making grabby hands at her.

“Oh, now you want to be carried,” she laughed. “I see how it is.”

She went to grab him, but something swished in the pond beside her. Grogu grumbled, turning his head to look at the water. It rippled, cascading into smaller arcs as the water sloshed against the tip of her boots. Grogu mewled, crying at Thell as the water touched his own feet. So taking him into her arms, she peered into the water, trying to see what was beyond the dark surface.

Something was moving, something dark and ominous that began to grow closer to the bank. Thell took a step back, looking at the Mandalorian from over her shoulder.

“Din!” She called, just before she felt a large tentacle wrap secure over her ankle. Grogu had already started crying before she shrieked, and one sharp tug of the tentacle brought her crashing into the bank. Mud splattered around her face, meshing into her clothes, and she tasted blood in her mouth.

Grogu had tumbled away, crying in the tall grass, and the last glimpse she got was of his dark eyes staring back at her in pure terror.

Then water was under and over her head, submerging her on all sides. Thell had never learned how to swim; she hadn’t needed to. She flailed, striking blindly at the creature dragging her farther and farther under the surface. Even with the murky water, she could make out the sun shining above the surface, where Din and Grogu were. Had Din even known she been taken? Had she ruined all chances of ever sharing her feelings?

The creature was strong, the hold on her leg secure and leaving her no chance to fight back. Water was filling her lungs, and even as she tried to fight back, she could feel herself failing, falling deeper and deeper into the water. With every punch and claw against the creature, she could only feel her body growing weaker.

Somewhere above her, there was a loud crash, and a burst of light on her right side. The creature, she believed, shrieked, bellowing deeply like a Bantha. The hold grew looser, and Thell wanted to move her arms. But the light was fading fast, and she only felt like she was floating, even when she felt two hands gripping her arms and tugging her upwards.

Thell only opened her eyes again when she sensed the presence of wind around her, the warmth of sun on her face. She was being dragged, the long grass tickling her face. Her body felt like deadweight, cold from the water and smelling like a swamp. She blinked steadily, coughing from the lack of oxygen as she finally realized she was safe.

Her head hit the ground rather harshly, and suddenly there was a large form looming over her. Hands gripping her shoulders and tugging at her cloak so her throat was free as she tried to breathe. She was pushed slightly on her side, coughing up water as she dug her elbow into the ground.

“It’s okay,” she heard a voice say. “I’ve got you.”

When she flipped onto her back again, she could just make out the Mandalorian’s gleaming armor through her blurry vision. He was drenched as well, water droplets running down his helmet and across the Beskar. In a rush of panic, Thell gripped his arm with all the strength she had left, breathing heavily.

“Hey, hey,” Din said softly, bending down to her. “You’re okay, just breathe. You’re safe.”

“I-" she started, trembling. “I had the kid. W-where is he? Is h-he okay?”

He nodded above her, and Thell noticed he had sunk to his knees next to her, holding her arm in a secure grip.

“He’s fine,” Din said. “I guess you pushed him out of the way before that thing took you under.”

His gloved hand came up, smoothing her hair back in a way that would have made Thell tremble if she hadn’t been shaking already. She heard low whimpers and a small presence beside her head, and looked to see Grogu peering at her with wide eyes. She couldn’t tell if she was crying or it was just the water dripping from her head when she looked at him, but she reached a shaky hand out anyway. He purred softly, leaning into her touch.

“Thank you, Thell,” Din said softly. “You saved him... Are you alright?” He asked, removing his hand. “Are you feeling okay?”

She nodded, too weak and shaken to say anything more. After a moment of laying still in the grass, regaining her breath, Thell readjusted.

“What was that thing?” She croaked.

“I’m not sure... Some sort of ocean creature. Did it hurt you?”

Thell shook her head. “No. I’m okay... Thank you for saving me. I didn’t even know you had seen me.”

“I heard you call and the kid started crying, so I had an idea of what had happened.”

“I’m sorry.”

He leaned back. “For what?”

“I feel like you’re always having to rescue me. I promised you I wouldn’t be a burden.”

He drew back, but the hand on her arm tightened. “You’ve never been a burden.”

Thell tried to stand, groaning at the effort. “Well, thank you anyway.”

He was at her side in a moment, using his knee as leverage to get her to her feet. Her legs still shook, and when she leaned away from the Mandalorian, she found herself gripping his arm again. She nearly fell into him, feeling weak from the near death experience.

“Sorry,” she slurred, wiping wet hair from her eyes.

“It’s alright,” Din said, just above her ear. “I’ve got you.”

He felt strong and steady in her weak state, the armor chilling against her back. He had slung one arm under her’s, and kept her pressed close to him in case she fell. He was incredibly warm where the Beskar didn’t touch her. She hadn’t been this close to him since Pasaana, when she thought he had died and came running over to hug him. It wasn’t the same, and it wasn’t the scenario she would choose from, but she was thankful for him being so close.

She had been so frustrated the night before, when he had rejected her hand, and her mind had been plagued with awful thoughts. Ones where he had never cared about her in the first place, not even as a friend. That’s why he had slunk away, right? Why he didn’t respond to her question about dancing.

But for the moment, those thoughts disappeared, because he was holding her steady as they walked back towards the Razor Crest, towards their little camping spot by the rocks.

“We really can’t get a moment's peace, can we?” Thell laughed, too nervous to do anything else.

“Seems like it,” he said, and Thell wondered if he was smiling back at her from under the helmet.

Hours later, under the vastness of the night sky, Thell had changed from her cold clothing into an older tunic, wrapped in one of the blankets from the Razor Crest.

She heard those familiar footsteps and a steaming cup was lowered in front of her.

“Thanks.”

Din dipped his head as she slowly sipped the soup, watching from the corner of her eye as he sat down beside her. They sat together in silence, their eyes trained on the flames from the fire. Grogu was waddling at the edge of the fire, mumbling to himself.

“How are you feeling?”

Thell sipped down the last bit of her soup. “Better. Still a little cold, but I’m better.”

“I really am grateful, Thell,” Din said suddenly, turning towards her. “He would have died without you, and I’m glad you’re okay.”

She almost laughed. “You’re the one who rescued me. I would be dead if you hadn’t jumped in... I should be the one thanking you.”

“I guess we can just say that we’re even now,” Din added.

She had saved his life on Pasaana, and here he was, a week later saving hers.

She grinned. “Yeah. I guess so.”

“... It’s our last day tomorrow.”

“I know,” Thell murmured. “It seems like even here we’ve been chased by death.”

Din chuckled under his breath. “Yeah, even here... We could do something tomorrow, if you’d like. Go back into the city.”

Thell leaned forward. “I thought you didn’t like the city.”

He shrugged. “Not necessarily.”

Thell beamed, because she already knew exactly where she wanted to go.

. . . .

Thell wanted to groan, or run off behind his back or _something_. Din had practically dragged her along the entire time they had been in the main city of Naboo. He was mainly just buying more food and supplies for after they left the planet. But to Thell’s dismay, she hadn’t even caught a whiff of the beautiful music she had heard two days ago.

The one thing that she did admire, though, was a vendor selling beautiful headpieces, ones that glittered like golden and silver. She had never seen the exquisite gems and crystals embedded in the headpieces, ones that were meant to trail down your face or shape your forehead.

Her eyes were captured by one of silver, a rather simpler design than the rest, with a glittering forest green crystal placed right in the middle.

“Can I interest you in anything, miss?” The woman behind the table said, smiling at her with rosy cheeks.

Thell blinked. “Oh. Thank you very much, but I’m just looking... These are very beautiful.”

“Thank you, dear,” the woman said, running her hand over a satin dress. “Are you here for any occasion?”

Thell let her eyes wander back to the small crowd, looking for the Mandalorian in a flood of people. His Beskar stuck out like a shooting star, just a few meters from where she stood.

“Just a little vacation.”

“Well, there's no place better than Naboo for that!”

“Yeah... there sure isn’t.”

They conversed over small things until Thell felt a presence beside her, and a hand on her upper back.

“We should keep moving,” he said lowly in her ear.

The woman at the booth clasped her hands together, smiling widely at them both.

“And this must be your handsome man,” she said, full of giddy. “You must be so happy.”

Thell’s face flared red, and her eyes felt like they nearly popped from her head. She could even feel the Mandalorian stiffen beside her as he removed his hand from her back.

“Oh,” Thell started, shaking her head. “We-we’re not together, we’re just friends.”

To her greatest embarrassment, the woman smirked. “You sure about that, dear? He’s been watching you like a lothcat this whole time.” She suddenly turned to Din. “You must be so happy as well. She’s a real beauty.”

That’s when they both stammered in responses, too embarrassed and caught off guard to bother not talking over one another.

“Seriously, it’s not like that-“

“She’s just my colleague.”

“He’s too rugged for my lifestyle-“

“No, no, no. She’s not my wife.”

Din dragged her away before they could fuss anymore, much to Thell’s relief. She pulled away from his arm, dusting off her cloak.

“Kriff,” she spluttered. “Thanks for getting me away from that.”

“Don’t mention it.”

They hadn’t been walking for very long before Din asked,

“Rugged lifestyle, huh?”

Thell blushed again and looked the other way. “I-I didn’t really mean it. I was just saying it because we were trying to get away.... at least she didn’t see the kid. _That_ would have been hard to explain.”

Din chuckled lightly under the helmet, and Grogu made a soft sound in the satchel he hid in.

They were just heading towards the exit of the city, back to the Razor Crest as the stars began to show themselves. Thell tilted her head back, watching them pass by as they walked. She wished she had had more time on the planet, with Din, with Grogu. Even despite the attack that had risked her life the other day, she had never felt more at home than on Naboo. Maybe it was the gentle atmosphere, or the kind people, or watching Din play with Grogu by the firelight while she drifted off to sleep.

“Hey,” she heard Din say, and give her a gentle touch on her elbow. “Come this way.”

In the dim light of the city, he pulled her aside into a dark corridor. He walked faster than normal, and Thell’s heart pounded, wondering if they were being followed. Twisting a glance over her shoulder, she saw no one, but Din continued with his fast pace.

Their footsteps echoed in the corridor, bouncing off the arched windows that surrounded them on both sides. Moonlight streamed in through the open sections, painting their shoes in silver gleams.

Thell stuck close to Din and Grogu, still panicked by the sudden change of pace, but equally entranced by the opening he walked through.

It must have been the garden from the other night; Thell swore it was. There were those same familiar fountains and small pools and trees of all sizes. The same vines and purple flowers tangled in the archways, cascading over their heads.

“Din?” She paused at the edge of the archway into the garden, the one he had already passed through. One foot was in moonlight, but Din was fully showered in starlight. He looked the same as he had been the night they had met, standing in the hallway of her Bespin home.

But it was different now. He was different, because she actually knew him and his story. Maybe not his face, and maybe she never would, but knowing him was enough for her.

So she stepped fully into the moonlight, letting it wash over her and bring her a new peace.

And when she walked to him, she noticed Grogu sitting on a bench, playing with that silver orb he loved so much. And in the distance, just beyond a hedge of bushes, Thell could hear music.

She let out a deep breath, turning back towards Din with a disbelieving smile.

“What’s going on?” She asked softly.

But his voice was softer. “Come here.”

She came just within just a few feet of him, sending a glance in the direction of the musicians.

“Are we supposed to be in here?” She whispered, to which he only shrugged, making Thell smile. “Din... we could get kicked out or something.”

He chuckled low above her. “We’ll be fine. There's no security in this part of Naboo... it’s pretty quiet anyway.”

Thell stuck out her lip. “Then... What are we doing here? I thought we were being chased when we ran through those corridors.”

Din huffed. “If we were, we would have been running a lot faster... we’re here for that.”

He pointed to the shrubbery, where just beyond the hedge the musicians were dressed in white, playing underneath the stars. The music was softer than it had been before, more harmonious with the quiet atmosphere of Naboo.

And when she looked back at him, Din had put his weapons down, even his jetpack, and something about him was softer, despite the armor.

He extended a gloved hand, and Thell felt her breath catch as she scanned him up and down. The last time she had tried this, he had rejected her. She had debated trying again for a while, even when he had saved her the other day. But time and time again, those nasty thoughts had begun to creep back into her head.

_He doesn’t care about you._

_He’ll get rid of you as soon as the kid leaves._

_He’s only using you._

_No one needs you._

But Thell didn’t let the fear overwhelm her this time, shoving it down into the darkest place she could find, before finally leaning forward and gently taking his hand in her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first of all: wow, thank you for 1000+ hits!!! that is truly amazing and something i never expected! i started writing this in the middle of the night in the height of the mandalorian episodes releasing this year, and never expected to fall in love with it as much as i have. thank you to everyone who has read so far, and i hope you continue to love it!!
> 
> in other news, there is definitely fluff up and coming, but i am also determined on setting up this slow burn as slowly as possible. i want to keep their relationship as realistic as possible... even if din and thell are both super awkward and clumsy and don't know what to do with their feelings. ;)
> 
> again, thank you so much for reading, and never feel shy to leave a comment, even if just to say hi! i love hearing from you all! :)


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Inclinations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! i am trying to get as much done with this before christmas, because i don't know how busy i'll be in the next few days... so i hope you enjoy the quick updates! :)

When he squeezed her palm, Thell nearly burst into tears, too overwhelmed with joy to say anything. His hand was more secure and warm than she had ever imagined, cradling hers like a perfect fit. His other hand was holding one of those purple flowers she loved so much, like the one he had left on her pillow. He moved slowly, surely, like the bounty hunter he was, moving to tuck her hair behind her ear and put the flower in its place.

That’s when the tears came, because all her dreams of the past two, nearly three months were coming true. The dreams she had had all her life, to have someone to _see her_.

The music was soft even for it being so close by, and he slowly tugged her closer. Thell’s feet could hardly move until he squeezed her palm, and she focused back on his helmet.

Din had always been large, even the first night they met. It intimidated her at first, but slowly she had just come to admire it. He was a good foot taller than her, and could probably squeeze her to death if they hugged too tight.

But she wasn’t scared, because his hold on her hand was gentle, and she knew how kind he was underneath. He was silent for a long time, just looking down at her and squeezing her hand every now and then, as if to remind himself that she was actually still there. Finally, he spoke, and tilted his head down to Thell’s.

“I’m sorry I rejected your hand the other night. I was... nervous of what I felt.”

Thell blinked rapidly as more tears came, and shook her head.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, squeezing his hand reassuringly “I understand completely.”

“I... I don’t really dance, Thell,” Din said, somewhat shakily. “I’m good with a blaster but hell with moving my feet on rhythm. I’d look like a womp-rat on sticks.”

Thell laughed, louder than she had intended, and slapped her free hand over her mouth. She listened for a long moment to the musicians, but they had not ceased playing. Satisfied for the moment, she looked back up at Din.

“Well, that’s alright,” she said, smiling. “I’m okay with just holding your hand, too.”

“Can I be honest?” He asked quietly, having to tilt her head to look up at him.

“Of course.”

But the Mandalorian paused, and his vision was somewhere over Thell’s head. Trepidation crept up her spine as her eyebrows creased, and suddenly the grip on her hand went loose.

“Din?” She whispered.

“Get the kid,” was his only reply, and Thell did without hesitation. She slid back beside Din, going to touch his arm.

“What’s going on?” She asked urgently. All seemed still in the garden, like it had been, even with the music playing. But Din had retrieved his weapons and jet pack, even holding his blaster in his hand as he stood tensely.

“There's someone coming,” he said. “Get behind me.”

She did, cautiously peering past his arm raised with the blaster. She wrapped the kid under her cloak, rubbing his ear when he murmured softly.

But to her greatest relief, the only person that showed themselves were two young kids. They looked like royalty, dressed in gleaming satin robes and frizzy hair done up properly. At the first sight of them, the Mandalorian dropped his blaster, and Thell exhaled, feeling her heart calm.

As they rounded the corner, their eyes widened as they caught sight of the three. They couldn’t have been older than seven or eight, one girl and a boy with matching eyes and hair. Grogu made a small noise at their arrival, perking his ears. Din was still tense, Thell noticed, so she squeezed his arm.

“It’s okay,” she said quietly. “They’re just kids.”

It seemed to calm him some, but he didn’t put his blaster away until the kids had started laughing uncontrollably and ran down the corridor in the opposite direction. That’s when she heard the Mandalorian breathe, saw the gentle rise and fall of his shoulders.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get back to the ship.”

When he extended his hand for a second time, Thell’s heart still caught in her throat, but she took it without hesitation. He didn’t let go of her hand until they made it back to the Razor Crest and dropped off their supplies, and moved back to the firepit Din had made to eat dinner.

Grogu sat in the open space of Thell’s legs, crunching on pieces of fruit she handed to him that Din had bought in the city. He seemed happy, munching away on the food while throwing side glances at Din. She wondered if he knew what was going on between them, or had seen the way the Mandalorian had kept her extra close as they wandered back to the ship. Even now, he only left a few feet between them as he sat back against a rock, crossing his ankles near the fire.

Thell ate her own food, happy to sit in the silence as the moon rose overhead. The wind was whistling through the grass, blowing sparks from the fire into the air. Despite nearly dying the other day, this planet had become her favorite. That, and the tender memories associated with it. She would miss Naboo dearly, and it tugged at her heart to know they were leaving in the morning.

“You’re quiet.”

Thell swallowed down a bite of food before cocking her head at the Mandalorian.

“Oh. I didn’t realize.”

“You okay?”

Thell nodded. “Yeah, I’m just thinking. I’m gonna miss this place... Din?”

He turned his head in her direction, crossing his arms over his chest.

Thell chewed on the inside of her cheek, suddenly flustered. “When we were in the garden... you were going to say something.” When he remained silent, Thell added, “You asked me if you could be honest with me, and I said yes.”

“Oh,” he breathed softly. “I was just going to say... I would like to know how to dance.”

Heat rushed to her face, and not just because they sat so close to the fire. Thell nearly choked on her food, having to clear her throat so she didn’t embarrass herself further. She hadn’t expected Din to be so forward with what he was feeling.

“Okay.”

She knew it was now or never. They could be dead tomorrow, and she was tired of waiting.

Thell sprung to her feet, leaving Grogu to sit and munch away on his own dinner, before she stood in front of the Mandalorian and extended her hands. He seemed taken aback for just a moment, pausing as he looked at her hands before taking both of them. She helped him to his feet with a loud huff, nearly tripping into the fire trying to catch her balance.

“Watch yourself, _kar’ta_ ,” he laughed in her ear, one hand secure on her arm.

That word again. Thell knew it was Mando’a; it had that same ring and tone as the other words he had taught her. But he never told her that one or what it meant. He had just whispered it to her the night he had told her his true name, the day she had saved him on Pasaana.

“What’s that one mean?” She asked.

He tilted his helmet down to look at her. “Ask me again some other time.”

Thell scoffed and rolled her eyes. He would truly be the death of her.

She didn’t know many dances, had only watched other people do it, but Thell attempted to start. She took both of his hands, rocking on her feet and motioning him to do the same.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have taken your hand. You’re more difficult this way,” she teased, hoping he saw the glitter in her eyes.

He did.

“Don’t tempt me, Thell,” he said lowly, a chuckle hidden under his breath. “You haven’t seen all my sides yet... ask Grogu. He can tell you all about it.”

“Oh, yeah?” She asked, halfway between a smirk and a laugh. She attempted to spin him, but it only tangled their arms and had Thell giggling to herself once he had figured out what had happened. When he finally faced her again, Thell took one of his hands and let the other rest on his arm.

“Yeah,” he said, and Thell swore he was smiling under the mask. “He’s seen me grumpy.”

She was dancing on the tip of her heels, trying to encourage the Mandalorian to do the same but he seemed to be enjoying himself by teasing her.

She cocked a brow. “I thought you were just... grumpy all the time?”

He stilled. “I thought you knew me better than that.”

Thell smirked, shrugging and remaining still as she thrived in his playful behavior. She suddenly jabbed a finger into his side, causing the Mandalorian to flinch while she laughed to herself.

“Hey! What are you doing?”

“Nah, I think you’re just grumpy. I just tried tickling you and you’re not doing anything. Not too playful or anythi-!”

She shrieked when the Mandalorian grabbed her, spinning her around so her back hit the cold Beskar chest plates. She whined, laughing while attempting to pry his arms off from around her. She knew he was strong, but being completely held by him was a different story.

“Din!” She laughed, leaning her head back. “Let me go!”

But he only chuckled heartily in her ears as she struggled against him, clawing at the Beskar vambraces. He seemed to be enjoying it immensely, even going so far as to wrestle her to the side and jab his fingers into her side.

“Din!” She shrieked, wriggling in his arms. “Stop!”

She knew she was ticklish, but this hadn’t happened since she was a kid, playing with her mother. With Din, this man she had come to care for so greatly, it was different. She had never expected him to be this way, and it was only making her fall faster for him.

She laughed until the breath hurt in her lungs, and she finally wrestled away from him and into the grass. The initial heartache of leaving the planet and having to be on the run again all but dissipated when she was laying in the grass, holding her stomach from laughing so much. When it had all but gone away, and she was only looking up at the stars and smiling widely, Din leaned over her. The moonlight shone on his Beskar like starlight, and even though she had never seen his face, she thought he looked beautiful.

“And you said I wasn’t playful,” he said, cocking his head.

Scared he was going to attack her again, Thell shook her head and pulled her arms to her chest. “Me? Whoever said that, it wasn’t me... Din Djarin? Playful? More probable than some may think.”

He chuckled at her comment, bending down to help her to her feet, picking grass out of her hair while she brushed off her tunic. They returned to the fire pit, with Grogu playing with that silver orb from the Razor Crest. Thell snuggled him for a moment, kissing along his head before putting him back down again. Din sat beside her, calmer than she had seen him in a long time, if ever, really. When all went quiet again, and the laughter had subsided completely, Thell peeked at him through her hair.

“You’re different.”

He tilted his head, almost like a kid. “How so?”

“Well...” Thell started, rubbing her hands over her knees. “That first night we met, I was absolutely terrified. I was scared of you and I was scared of what was going to happen to me if I stayed there. I guess I was just... afraid to actually _be_ someone. To decide what I wanted out of life when it had always been decided for me.” She paused, chewing her lip. “But it's all changed now. I’m not so afraid anymore. I feel like... Like I have some purpose in life now, you know?”

He nodded. “That’s good.”

Thell smiled, just the corner of her lip. “But it’s not just me. You were different than I thought. You are different. I thought you were just cold and calculating at first, that night we met at the house.”

Din huffed. “A real introduction if you ask me.”

“I guess,” Thell replied. “But even then you surprised me. I mean, Kriff, you let me on the Razor Crest after I only asked twice.”

“You basically begged me to.”

She slapped his arm playfully. “I know, you don’t have to remind me. But you did anyway... and you let me stay with you after Coruscant, and it’s almost been what, three months? All I’m saying is that I judged you before I even knew you. I definitely never expected you to have a _kid_.”

Her gaze drifted back to Grogu and she heard Din say, “Me too.”

Looking back at Din, she said, “You’re a good father to him... He loves you a lot, I can tell. I can’t imagine what his life was like before all of this. But you brought him out of that, and you’ve been taking care of each other... that’s what I meant when I said you’re different. You put others above yourself, every time, even if you don’t like saying it out loud. And you care deeply... you’re not just doing it out of responsibility or vanity. Like, you actually _care_. And I really appreciate that, because it’s made me care, too.”

He didn’t respond, but Thell’s soul was moved when he went to take her hand again, softer than it had been before. His eyes went back to the fire, but his hand was secure in her’s, his gloved thumb running in circles over the back of her palm.

They sat by the fire for hours, talking late into the night until Thell couldn’t force her eyes to stay open. Her heart was full, and she had never felt so happy in all her life. She wished so desperately she could tell her mother everything that had happened, all the things she had learned and how deeply she had fallen for this man. She had never even seen his face, barely a glimpse of his own skin, but she still cared for him all the same.

Maybe, wherever she was, her mother was proud of her. Her father, too. If all they had wanted in life was for Thell to be safe, then their wish had come true.

Because she slept sounder that night than she had ever before, slouched against the Mandalorian’s side, head resting on his shoulder as he leaned against the rocks. He must have removed the pauldron at one point so that her head lay comfortably on his shoulder, covered by a thick brown garment. Because she woke up at one point in the middle of the night to find Grogu sleeping in Din’s lap, his hand holding the Mandalorian’s thumb against his chest like he always did. And she didn’t wake them when she went to get water, even when she came back and snuggled right back up against him. Thell let her hand linger beside Grogu and Din’s, and sometime before she drifted off, she felt the Mandalorian intertwine their fingers, connecting it with the kid’s.

. . . .

Thell lingered at the edge of the field, staring off into the countless waterfalls, streams, and forest that surrounded them. Off in the distance, on top of a hill, she could spot the city they had gone into, and the memories replayed in her head. No matter what, she would always remember that night in the garden, and the tenderness that they had both shown to each other.

She was rubbing her fingers along her necklace when Din came up beside her.

“It’s time to go.”

Thell sighed. “Okay.”

“Are you ready?” He asked, turning to her.

But she shrugged. “Not really. This place has been amazing, you know, despite the squid thing that tried to kill me... I’m just going to miss it here. It was nice while it lasted.”

“Who said you were going anywhere?”

Thell blinked, twisting her head to look at him and dropping the necklace from her hand. “What do you mean?”

“I mean...” he started, and Thell noticed the awkward way he dug his boot into the ground. “You’re staying on, with us... aren’t you?”

“Of course I am,” Thell said, nodding. “I don’t really have anywhere else to go at this point. Why are you asking?”

Din crossed his arms over his chest, looking back out over the field. “I’ve been thinking... we could go back to Navarro. The armorer’s forge is there... we could restore your father’s vambraces, say hi to Greef and Cara while we’re there.”

Thell beamed. “Really?”

“Yeah... what do you say, kid?”

Grogu was in Din’s arms, and he whined, looking up at them both. Thell grinned, rubbing his ear with one hand.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Din practically perked up the next second, hand on his blaster. Concerned, Thell followed his eyeline to the sky, where she could spot two dark spots moving towards them quickly.

“Empire,” Din said, answering her thoughts. “Get back to the ship, _now!_ ”

Thell turned and sprinted, making sure the Mandalorian was right behind her. They sped up the drop ramp, securing the ship and dashing upwards into the cockpit. Din had passed the kid to Thell, making sure he was secure in his seat while he started the Razor Crest. Thell had only just strapped herself in when the ship lurched forward, and she braced herself against the seat. She could hear the fighters blasting at them from outside, the explosion of shots into the field where they had just been standing.

But Din was fast, and precise, like he always had been, and he had them shooting upwards into the clouds and plummeting through hyperspace before they had sustained any damage.

It had become so natural, Thell had only just noticed she was holding the Mandalorian’s hand. And for the first time, she felt him trembling, like his entire body was on fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading!! and as always, i am so grateful for all my readers! <3
> 
> i am hoping that i kept din enough in character throughout this chapter... being playful/soft(especially in a romantic setting) isn't something we are used to seeing in the show. but after knowing him in season two, and seeing how gentle he had become, i tried at my best at relaying that through this chapter. i don't want to move them along too fast, but i think it's also the first time either of them have felt this way, so i hope it comes across in an authentic, tender way!
> 
> these guys literally can't catch a break, even in the midst of all the fluff.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Renewal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello sweet readers! thanks once again for loving on my book so much, it means the absolute world to me. i hope i continue to have you fall in love with these characters and storyline!  
> 

Thell was fuming, pacing back and forth in the cargo bay of the Razor Crest.

They had narrowly escaped with their lives yet again, and the anger was boiling in her blood. She hadn’t gotten angry over it before, but having spent such a short amount of time on a haven like Naboo, and to be run off the planet by their enemies, it was bringing everything to a new light.

She wasn’t one to get angry. She had endured many things in her life, ones that were worth being mad over. But she had never been that way. She knew others had suffered like her, so why did she have any reason in pursuing those same feelings?

But they were stronger this time because she had an actual reason behind it: Din and Grogu. She cared for them deeply, deeper than anyone since her mother. And after everything that had happened between them on the planet... the hand holding, the playful dancing and teasing, the nights spent talking into the early morning about anything and everything. She had something more than herself to care about now, and they just happened to be two of the most wanted beings in the galaxy.

Amidst her anger, she could see Grogu watching her pace back and forth from the sleeping pod. She could hear Din approaching too, stepping down the ladder into the hold.

“Thell,” he said. “What are you doing?”

She didn’t stop moving except to glance at him momentarily. “I’m just thinking. I needed to walk around.”

But he seemed to know her better, because he took her arm gently the next time she stopped in front of him. Thell paused, realizing the tears she had been holding in were threatening to break loose. She knew he could probably see her red rimmed irises; she had broken down as soon as they left the planet and hidden away in the sleeping pod.

“What’s going on?” he asked concernedly.

“This is what it’s like, isn’t it?” Thell sniffled. “Constantly on the run. Not being able to stay anywhere for long. Never feeling safe? I mean... we weren’t even there for three full days, and someone knew we were there. Kriff, they really won’t let us catch a break, will they?”

Anger was surging through her veins, provoked and fiery. Her eyes darted around the hull for something to kick, and she chose a cup sitting on the floor. It collided with the wall with a small clang and clattered to the floor, leaving Thell standing with her hands in fists.

Din hadn’t spoken a word, and she peeked at him from the corner of her eye.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, rocking her leg. “I don’t usually get angry.”

But his response was warm. “You have every right to be.”

Her initial anger was gone, and it was starting to turn into tears instead again.

“I just...” she sniffed. “I thought we were going to be okay there. For once, I thought we were going to be okay! ... It was really nice there.”

Her back trembled as she inhaled, the sobs threatening to pour over, and Din noticed. She pushed her hand onto her forehead as he took a few steps forward, until Thell saw that his arms were open.

“Come here, _kar’ta_.”

He had never hugged her before, not properly, and she wouldn’t count the one time when he nearly died as one. He didn’t seem like someone who had endured much physical affection in his life, because ever since he had grabbed her hand, he had always been close to her. Like he needed to physically touch her to make sure she was really there.

Nearly stumbling over her own feet, she collapsed against him, securing her hands around his waist. He was incredibly warm and gentle as he hugged her back, fastening his own arms over her shoulders. She could feel his hand caress the bottom of her hair, smoothing it back when she cried against him.

“I’m sorry you have to go through this,” she whispered against his chest, the Beskar smooth on her cheek. He didn’t respond, but she felt him hold her tighter, tilt his helmet to rest against the side of her head. “Both of you do...”

She had seen her cry before, so she wasn’t embarrassed to press her forehead to the soft material past the Beskar and cry softly. He held her close, keeping his helmet pressed to the side of her skull as his thumb rubbed her shoulder in small circles. When her throat was raw and her eyes puffy, she leaned away, placing her hands on his chest plates. He didn’t pull away immediately, like she had thought, gently letting his hands slide past her shoulders.

He gripped them tight, shaking a little to make her look up at him.

“We’re going to be okay,” he said. “We’ll get through this, together... you hear me? Thell?”

She nodded, pushing her hand against her cheek to wipe away tears. “Yeah. I got it.”

“Come on, let’s go back up,” he said, moving to grasp her hand. “We’ve still got a few hours for you to rest before we get there.”

Din took the kid in his free arm, letting Thell make her way back up to the cockpit and slouching into her seat. Din had just sat down with the kid in his lap when he turned, looking at her from over his shoulder.

“Thell?”

She wiped a sleeve across her nose. “Yeah?”

“We’ll get the kid to a safe place, and we’ll be okay, alright?”

She watched him closely, scrunching her eyebrows at his words. Was he... Meaning long term, after they let Grogu go? She couldn’t imagine life without the kid, and she definitely couldn’t imagine spending her life with Din. It had been all but a fantasy in her head, a dream she knew would never come true.

But he hadn’t told her his true feelings, not really. All he had done was admit he wanted to take her hand, told her he wanted to dance, and tickled her. Granted, they had slept side by side the other night, and practically hadn’t left each other’s hand since yesterday. But doubt still crept into Thell’s mind. She wondered if there was anyone before her like this, maybe someone he had loved.

She nodded anyway. “Alright.”

. . . .

“Ah! Hello again, little one!”

Karga tossed the kid in his arms, holding him close while Grogu babbled happily. Thell shook hands with him before going over to Din and Cara.

“Good to see you again, Thell,” Cara said, bending forward to shake her hand.

Thell noticed right after they came off the ship that Din seemed to move away from her as soon as they saw the others. Maybe it was just because he didn’t want to show his affection in public, but it made Thell doubt again.

“Good to see you, too,” she said, shaking Cara’s hand.

“I need you to watch after the kid,” Din said, putting a hand on his hip.

“I’m sure Greef wouldn’t take his eye off of him,” Cara said, smirking in the man’s direction as he walked over. Grogu was happily murmuring in his hold, playing with the flimsy collar of his jacket.

“Another mission, Mando?” Karga asked, bending forward.

“No,” Din replied. “I need to go down to the armory.”

Thell could see the evident surprise in Cara Dune’s eyes.

“Mando, you remember what happened last time we were down there...”

“I know,” Din responded quickly. “It shouldn’t take long.”

Karga shrugged, bouncing the kid in his arms. “Shouldn’t be anyone down there since the whole fiasco went down. Besides, who wouldn’t want to spend extra time with this little womp rat!”

Cara breathed in deeply, crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, be careful anyway. Radio in if you need us.”

Thell felt a pang of worry as she looked back over her shoulder at Grogu, smiling in Karga’s arms. But she followed Din into town anyway, keeping close to his shoulder as he led her through the town. He was silent, but she wondered if he was thinking deeply under that helmet, his eyes scattering with all the thoughts in his brain.

The town was busier than Thell remembered, even on such a cloudy and overcast day like today. But vendors lined the streets anyway, yelling or making signals for them to come their way. Thell passed by buildings filled with children at desks, schools for the young taught by protocol droids, and houses designed as shops or venues. Even past all the gray and drab of the town, the crooked cobblestone pathways, there were still spots of color that Thell couldn’t miss. Flags waving in the breeze, tassels and curtains and rugs of bright yellows or oranges.

But the thing that caught her eye most was something she had missed last time: a statue of a droid, one that looked like an assassin droid, if she was correct, raising a large blaster in the air. Thell paused for a moment, staring in awe at the droid that seemed to tower over the citizens that walked by. Whoever it was, he must have been important.

She hadn’t noticed she had stopped walking until Din walked directly in front of her.

“What is that?” She asked, pointing over his shoulder.

Din glanced at the statue, his gaze locking on it before swiveling back to her. “It was a droid called IG-11.”

Thell squinted, analyzing the statue. “... How’d he get his own statue? What did he do?”

“He saved Grogu’s life... and mine,” Din said simply, before turning away and motioning her to follow.

Din led her down private passageways and into the sewer system, much to her dismay. It was cold and the damp air bit at her skin as they walked through the corridors, their walking echoing with every step.

It wasn't long before they stumbled into a large open room, with tools lining the walls and some kind of metal contraption in the middle.

“What is this place?” Thell asked, running her fingers along the curve of the wall.

“A forge,” Din replied, setting down his weapons and jet back against the far wall. “A Mandalorian armorer used to work here.”

Thell cocked a brow. “Used to?”

Din dipped his head. “The covert was attacked by the Empire several months... a few months before we met, actually. I guess she ran off after everything happened... Do you have the armor?”

Thell swung the bag around her hip, fishing out the two vambraces from her father and handing them to Din.

“Do you know how to restore them?” She asked, peeking over his shoulder while he laid out the supplies.

“More or less.”

Thell blinked. “Uh... You’re not going to accidentally destroy them, right?”

The Mandalorian chuckled under his helmet. “No. These are Beskar, Thell. There’s no way in hell I’d be able to do any damage to them.”

Thell’s jaw dropped. “Beskar? Are you serious?” He nodded. “Isn’t that like... really rare or expensive or something?”

“Your father must have been a well to do man,” Din replied, setting fire to the compartment. “Beskar has always been hard to come by. You’ll be well protected... your arms will be, at the least.”

Scrunching her lip, Thell glanced from her arms to the vambraces, worn and peeling of any color.

But she could only watch in awe, standing back at a safe distance, while the Mandalorian worked on her father’s armor. Sparks flew from both sides, and metal scraped against metal as he wore the old paint job down.

Thell had nearly dozed off amidst the sound and smell of metal when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Alright. All done.”

Din passed the two vambraces back towards her, letting her hold the gleaming metal in her hands. He had repainted them in the original colors of her father’s clan, black, green, and orange. There was even a small symbol of the leonid creature on the right vambrace, the one she wore around her neck.

Thell nearly started laughing, she was so ecstatic. The metal was more beautiful than she had ever imagined, and she was amazed that Din had wanted to come by and do this just for her.

“Din...” she breathed, shaking her head. “These are beautiful. Thank you... thank you so much.”

When she had stood, he showed her how to fit them to her tunic, secured perfectly in place. They weren’t much armor, but she felt new, like she was representing her father and everything he had died for. He was protecting her like he always wanted to, even now.

“You like them?”

Thell’s head shot up to the Mandalorian, and without hesitation, clasped his shoulder.

“I love them,” she said, a bit breathless. “They’re just amazing, Din. I feel like I’m making my father proud.”

“You are.”

They returned to Cara and Karga, who were entertaining Grogu in a nearby house. Din didn’t tell her where they were headed next as they headed back to the Razor Crest, reunited with the kid. But her attention was fully on the vambraces as they lifted into the air and flew from Nevarro, the freshly painted Beskar shining like diamonds in the starlight.

. . . . .

“Hey, hey, I’m coming, don’t worry.”

Grogu had been whining at her the entire time she had been in the cargo hold, looking at her with wide eyes. She approached him slowly, giving him a smirk as she shed her vambraces and placed them in her pack.

“It’s your bedtime, isn’t it?” She said, lifting him from his bed. “Maybe that’s why you’re so needy.”

She gently cradled Grogu, wrapping him halfway in her own cloak as she held him like a baby and standing to her feet. She walked the length of the cargo hold, listening to the hum of the Razor Crest as they flew. Thell hummed softly, pressing her cheek to the kid’s head as she rocked him close to her chest. She could see his eyelids flutter softly, the way he murmured to himself.

“You wanna hear a song?” She whispered, just for him to hear, and at his small coo, she smiled. “Okay. My mom taught me this one... I think you’ll like it.”

She hummed for a long moment before breathing in deep, looking down at the kid.

“ _Look at the stars, look how they shine for you_ ,” she sang softly, rubbing her nose to the kid’s. “ _And everything you do, they were all yellow_.”

She spun, feeling the air pick up her cloak and causing Grogu to squeal. Thell giggled, pecking his head before continuing.

_“I came along_

_I wrote a song for you_

_And all the things you do_

_And it was called, "Yellow"_

_So then I took my turn_

_Oh, what a thing to have done_

_And it was all yellow.”_

She watched Grogu’s eyes flutter more, felt the way he was going limp in her arms. So, as quiet as she could, she leaned close and finished the song her mother had taught her all those years ago.

 _“You know, you know I love you so,”_ she whispered. _“...You know I love you so.”_

When she opened her eyes again, Grogu was sleeping, his tiny mouth parted and his ears twitching in his dreams. As usual, his three fingered hand was wrapped securely around her thumb, anchoring himself to her.

But what caught Thell most was the Mandalorian leaning sideways against the far wall, arms crossed and one leg bent. He was staring back at her silently, not even nodding when she looked over at him. He looked oddly handsome, even though she had seen him this way a hundred times over, but she couldn’t help the thought. He did, and she just wished for the day when he would show her his face, on his own terms.

She swallowed, speaking quietly to not wake the kid. “Hi.”

“Hey.”

“... How long have you been standing there?” She asked.

“Long enough to know you have a beautiful voice,” Din said, and Thell felt the blush in her cheeks.

“Oh,” she stuttered. “Thanks.”

She hadn’t had someone compliment her like he did, no one that ever looked at her like he did. Despite wearing the helmet.

So, feeling awkward, she gently placed Grogu back in his own bed, leaving him wrapped in her cloak. When she turned back, Din had stepped a few feet closer, bending to look over at the kid.

“Where did you learn the song?” He asked.

Thell shrugged. “My mom used to sing it to me when I was younger. We would go look at the constellations and she taught me the words.”

“It’s sweet,” Din said. “I think the kid liked it.”

When he wasn’t looking at her, Thell felt the tears build behind her eyes, and gently grasped Din’s hand. It had become so natural between them now, something that used to be so foreign between the both of them. His fingers slid easily between her’s, squeezing her palm and running patterns on the top of her hand.

“I like you,” Thell remarked, feeling her heart tremble like she had been shocked. It wasn’t untrue, but the last person she had said it to had completly rejected her. Din was a person of few words, and when he did speak, he made it purposeful. He wasn’t inherently aggressive or demeaning, but Thell’s heart still pounded.

But his hand was still secure in her’s, so it presented her with some hope. Even more so, when he finally tilted his head in her direction to look down at her.

“Dank Farrik, Thell,” Din said softly, turning to face her fully. “You beat me to it.”

Thell’s eyes widened. “Wa... Wait, what?”

His free hand came up, caressing her hair and brushing a stray wisp behind her ear. “I like you, too, _kar’ta.”_

Thell smiled wildly, nearly squealing in delight and almost waking the kid. But instead, she strung her arms around his broad shoulders, her toes dangling from the floor for just a mere second before he hugged her back, crushing her against the Beskar. He pulled her away from the sleeping pod, closing the door so Grogu could sleep peacefully.

Din’s was strong, he always had been, so Thell let herself rest fully against him, her laughter fading away as she nestled her head into his shoulder, against the soft material where the Beskar wasn’t attached to. She heard him sigh from inside the mask, almost contently, beside her ear. Her fingers scrunched into his cape as she nestled closer into him, closing her eyes.

“You’re not just teasing me... right?” Thell whispered.

She could feel the slightest shake of his helmet beside her head. “I’m not, I swear to you.”

 _Kar’ta._ It rang in her mind.

“You keep saying that word in Mando’a,” she whispered. “... Will you ever tell me what it means?”

“Hm,” he hummed beside her. “Maybe I’ll just keep you guessing.”

Thell pulled away, despite still hanging in his arms, before playfully punching his chest plate.

“Din Djarin, you might just be the most frustrating man I’ve ever met.”

“Yeah, but at least you like me,” he chuckled. “You said it yourself.”

“Don’t use my words against me, Mandalorian!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some little bit of fluff to leave you with... i can't resist!!! lyrics are from coldplay's "yellow". 
> 
> updates may be a little slower from now on, and not an every other day thing... but i will not abandon this story! it brings me so much peace and happiness and i'm so honored so many of you are enjoying it. 
> 
> thank you for reading, and for supporting my work!! :)


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Firsts

Thell yawned and stretched her arms over her head, feeling the hammock sway beneath her. She swung one leg out, cocking her head to see Din near the sleeping pod.

It had been two weeks since they had been on Nevarro and fixed her vambraces. She had practically worn them all the time, sewed into one of her favorite dark tunics. It was a constant reminder of who her father had been, what he had fought for, and what Thell believed in now. And what she believed in was the intimidating Mandalorian dressed head to foot in impenetrable armor and the strange green baby with magic powers that lay at the other end of the cargo hold.  
She wondered if it was still Din’s mission to find where Grogu was supposed to go. Wherever that was, or finding a Jedi, it seemed impossible. It was why they had been floating in space for two weeks, dropping from planet to planet with just enough time to grab supplies before someone from the Empire spotted them.

It was exhausting, but Thell was glad for the quiet moments that the three of them shared. Eating dinner together aboard the Razor Crest, having Grogu sleep with her in the hammock, constantly holding Din’s hand while they sat in the cockpit. Even when his hand wasn’t in her’s, it was gripping her elbow or resting lightly on her back. He was becoming more and more open with her, still slow with large advances, but gentle nonetheless. They had shared more stories about their lives, the things they held dear to their hearts, and Thell’s own heart was full.

“So, what’s the plan?” Thell asked from her hammock.

“What plan?”

“... The plan for the kid. Have you found anything out yet?”

She heard him sigh, his back still to her. “No. I’m thinking about going back to that Jedi I met, but I need to stop to do some repairs tonight, though. You and the kid can stretch your legs.”

“Finally!” Thell threw herself back in the hammock, punching the air. It had been a while since they had stopped and stayed on a planet for more than a few hours.

. . . .

“Uh, Grogu, let go, bud.”

“He’s pretty adamant about it.”

Thell frowned. “I know. But I don’t want him choking on it... Din!”

She slapped his hand away, much to his amusement as he started laughing to himself when he tried to stop her. Thell reached past his legs, grabbing the stick from Grogu before he shoved it down his throat. She threw the Mandalorian a sly smirk before tossing the stick over her shoulder and far into the woods.

Trees surrounded them on all sides inside the enclave they had found on the forest planet. Din had a fire going, like usual, and their empty ration containers lay strewn beside it.

“You were shy.... Before.” Din said suddenly.

Thell raised her head, cocking it in his direction. “Before what?”

“... This.”

“Oh. I’m just quiet, I guess.”

“You talk when you want to, though. Don’t misjudge me, it isn’t a bad thing. I like hearing you talk... But you were shyer with me. You talked about your family and your life, but you weren’t as playful as you are now. You seem... _free_.”

Thell smiled, resting her crossed arms over her knees. “I’m happy. And for the first time in a while, I feel like I can actually be myself... so yeah, I guess I was shy. For a while, I think it was just because I was nervous of what you would actually think of me. I didn’t want you getting rid of me because I was desperate or annoying. Or clingy. Because trust me, I can get very clingy if I don’t watch myself.”

He huffed beside her, leaning forward to knock his shoulder into her lightly. “I’ll keep an eye out for that.”

“... But I’m okay now. I would have been okay before; I was just too scared.”

“Of me?”

Thell shrugged. “Not really. You intimidated me more than anything. At that point, everyone intimidated me, but I knew if I wanted to survive, I would have to take a step into that fear. So, I did.” She turned to face Din, looking directly into his visor. “And I’m really glad I did.”

He stared back at her, and Thell blinked, letting her smile fade as she could only stare back at his visor. It hadn’t really hit her, not until then, that she had never seen his face, not even a glimpse of his bare skin. She didn’t know who was under the mask; she could only guess what he looked like from him telling her what color his hair and eyes were. But that was never enough to go off of. Her heart desperately wished to see him, to run her fingers over his face, to finally be able to kiss him. As much as she respected him, she hated the ways of the Creed and how his strict beliefs kept his face from her.

“Hey,” he said softly to get her attention.

Thell shook her head, clearing her vision. “What?”

“What’s wrong?”

“I...” Thell started. “I respect you, you know that? And I understand why you believe the things you do.... But Din. I’ve known you for months now, and yeah, I know we’re still getting to really know each other. But we’ve risked our lives for each other, and for the kid. And... some days I don’t even think about it; it doesn’t even bother me. But some days... some days I just wish I could see your face.”

He went still, like he had been frozen in carbonite, and Thell swallowed nervously.

“I... I swore the Creed, Thell.”

“I know,” she said quickly. “I know you did, and I really respect that. I’m not asking you to break the Creed. I just... wanted you to know. Because I think about it a lot, and I just wish I could know who’s under that helmet of yours.”

“Why?” He said, cocking his head. “Because you’re aching to see how ugly I actually am?”

Thell gaped, staring back at him astounded, and rolling her eyes. “Yeah, sure, Din. Because I’m just a heartless person who enjoys relishing in the inconsiderate judgement of others.” She leaned into him, trying to push him over but barely causing him to flinch. “I’m sure you aren’t ugly. Whatever you look like under the mask, I’m sure I’ll like you just the same. Your appearance doesn’t determine that for me. I liked you because of your character, after all.”

“Oh, yeah?” Din asked. “What if I told you I was really old?”

Thell scrunched her face up. “Not gonna get me with that one, chief. You’re very active, and you don’t act like an old person. I wouldn’t say you’re much older than me... right?”

Din shrugged. “Probably... Honestly, though, you may never want me to take off the helmet again once you see me.”

Thell scoffed. “Din! C’mon! Take me seriously when I say that I won’t be disappointed at all. I respect that it’s your Creed, but... if you ever have any reason to take it off in front of me, and you want me to look, you just say the word. I’ll respect you regardless, and I’ll still like you. I swear.”

Din looked at her for a moment before slinging an arm around her waist, tugging her right up against him so her thigh pressed to the Beskar attached to his leg. She laughed under her breath, resting her head on his shoulder as his hand moved up and down her back. They watched the stars in silence, letting the calmness of the planet wash over them.

When Thell was ready, she leaned back, looking directly at the Mandalorian.

“Can I ask you something, though?” She said quietly.

“Sure.”

“Can you take off your glove?” When he didn’t move or respond, Thell squeezed his arm. “It’s not like you’re showing your face. But if you really don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

To her surprise, he leaned away, bringing the arm around his waist forward and holding his hand up in front of his face. Thell watched with eager, patient eyes as he slowly removed the glove, painstakingly going finger by finger before completely discarding it to his side.

Thell had never seen his actual flesh before, the soft golden brown skin and long fingers and calloused knuckles under the glove. She could barely move except to breathe softly as she stared at his hand, too overcome to react immediately.

Thell flinched as she felt contact on her face; she must have been crying without realizing it, and Din had reached forward with his other hand, running his thumb along where her tear had fallen. He had taken the glove off that hand too, his thumb surprisingly smooth against her face.

She finally looked into his visor and smiled, despite the tears. Cupping his hand with both of her’s, she turned it downwards, kissing his open palm. She felt him tense under her gentle touch, like she had expected, so she waited before doing anything else. She wanted to show him just how much she cared, even if she wasn’t sure herself how to act in situations like this. Din seemed new to it all as well, so that comforted some of the anxiety in her heart.

When he didn’t move away, Thell raised his hand to her mouth, kissing each of his knuckles before pressing his hand into her cheek again. He let his palm flatten against her face, gently cupping her cheek.

“Din?” Thell whispered. “Was that okay?”

“Yeah.” His voice was strained, the modulator in the helmet crackling.

“Are you sure?” Thell asked. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything. I don’t really know what to do in situations like this, I’m just learning as I go and I didn’t-"

“Thell.”

Thell blinked. He had never sounded so serious before. “... What?”

“I would like to kiss you.”

“W-what?”

Thell couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Yes, she had wanted to kiss him too, despite never having seen his face, but she hadn’t expected the same from him.

“I-I’ve never...” Din stuttered. “Done it before. I’ve never had the chance.”

Thell blinked rapidly, running her hands through her hair with shaking fingers. She felt honored, being his first. But it still boggled her as to why... they had really only known each other four months, after all.

“I... I haven’t either.”

He bent forward. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine,” Thell replied. “I... I want to. If you’re okay with it. I won’t open my eyes or anything. You have my word.”

He gazed at her for a long moment, his bare hand rising to caress her hair.

“Kriff. You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met, Thell... go ahead and close your eyes, kar’ta.”

She did, and it was a long few seconds before she heard anything else, a small click and hiss as Din finally removed his helmet. One hand rose to her face, running his fingers along her cheek before she sensed him scooting closer. She could feel his ragged breath billow across her face, feel his nose just slightly brush her’s.

Thell’s chest shook. “Are you-are you going to do anything?... you’re making me a bit anxious-“

“I’m nervous.” His unmodulated voice was deeper than she had imagined, so much richer than before.

If her eyes had been open, Thell would have given him a knowing look. Din Djarin, Mandalorian and feared bounty hunter, was nervous. _Of kissing her._

“If it makes you feel any better... I’m nervous, too. I haven’t, uh, kissed anyone before, Din. But I think it just comes naturally... that’s what I’ve heard, at least. Just go as slow as you need to. We can figure it out, I’m sure of it.”

“Just swear to me you won’t laugh if I mess up.”

Thell smirked. “You’re tempting me... but I won’t... wait."

"What is it?"

"This isn't... breaking the Creed, is it?"

To her relief, Din chuckled. "No. Only if you actually saw my face."

"Okay... good."

He practically crashed into her, hands furled into the hair at the base of her neck and tugging her forward. It surprised Thell, jumping slightly where she sat before letting her hands rest against his chest, moving up past his clavicles. His lips were melting against her like honey, sucking the very breath from her lungs. His mouth was softer than she had ever imagined, and she felt the scratch of facial hair along his upper lip and jaw when he kissed her.

Just when she felt like she couldn’t breathe, Din pulled away with a loud _smack_ , just leaving his mouth brushing her’s. He was panting wildly against her face, one hand tangled in her hair and the other pressed flat against her lower back.

“S-sorry. You... You okay?” He breathed, his natural voice raspy in Thell’s ears. “T-that wasn’t too much?”

She shook her head, pressing her forehead to his and nearly crying because she was hearing his real voice so much and so close. “No, it was good. I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

Thell nodded, hands against his chest. “Absolutely. Just try it a little slower next time.”

“I could kiss you for the rest of my life, you know,” Din whispered.

Thell smiled, feeling her cheeks burn with color. “I wouldn’t mind that.”

He chuckled under his breath, one hand moving to hold her face. When he kissed her again, Thell swore she saw stars, and for mere moments it felt like she was floating while Din figured out exactly how to kiss her. She hadn’t kissed anyone either, so it was a combined effort, but she realized it was soon coming naturally to her, just like she had been told. The initial awkwardness over, Din slowed down, his hands sliding up to cup her cheeks, pressing small kisses to her lips and tilting his head at different angles. Thell let her hands wander to the nape of his neck, where soft hair curled at his collar and tickled her fingers. The way Din was kissing her now was different, a good difference. It had caused goosebumps to break out along her arms and her heart was thumping in her chest. But he was gentle through it all, leaning away when they both needed to breathe and softly starting all over again. Time vanished and she could only gently hold the back of his head, kissing him back with just as much tenderness as he was showing her.

When Din finally pulled away for the last time, his nose brushed her face as he pressed more kisses across her cheeks, just lightly along her jaw and chin before kissing her once more on the mouth. She was sure she looked funny, hair tangled and cheeks flushed, but he never said anything. He was getting braver, she noticed, his initial fear and self consciousness of never having kissed anyone completely vanished. He kissed one spot under her jaw, making her giggle uncontrollably and squirm in his hold. She felt him smile against her neck, the slight scratch of stubble on his face.

“Didn't know you were ticklish there,” Din murmured, kissing her again.

“You didn’t tell me you had facial hair,” Thell whispered.

“Touché.”

He kissed the spot under her jaw again, and Thell squeaked, pushing against his neck.

“Din Djarin, you’re just asking to get punched!” She exclaimed, squeezing her eyes tight so she wasn’t tempted to look at him when he laughed, although she truly wanted to. She wanted to know if his eyes got crinkles or his nose scrunched up when he laughed. She had tasted him, felt his lips on hers and his skin and hair under her fingers, yet never once actually seen his own eyes. His brown eyes.

Maybe one day, she whispered to her aching heart. One day he would let her, on his own accord.

“Thell,” Din said suddenly, the lack of the helmet not being able to hide the way his voice shook. “Keep your eyes closed.”

She scrunched her brows, concerned. “What? What’s going on?”

She heard the small hiss of the helmet being slid back on, and the way his hand grabbed her’s and shoved her to her feet. Thell swayed as she kept her eyes closed, bracing herself against the Mandalorian’s arm. The next moment, she heard Grogu whining, and his noises became louder as he was shoved into her arms.

“Okay, you can look,” Din said quietly, the modulator messing with his voice again. Thell hadn’t realized just how much she admired his natural voice.

Upon opening her eyes, Din was standing right over her, hands gripping her shoulders like iron. Everything about him had changed in just a few seconds; his tense posture, his ragged breath, the steel grip on her shoulders.

“Din-“

“You have to run.”

Thell blinked, staring back into the visor, dumbfounded. “W-what? What’s happening?”

She could hear it now, a gentle humming somewhere above them , growing louder with every passing second.

Wind suddenly blasted against them on all sides, causing them to stumble and Thell felt like she was looking directly into the sun when she tilted her face to the sky. Somewhere far above them, just below the clouds, was a massive ship, clouded in darkness like a burning shadow. Lights shone on all sides, all around the forest, and directly on them.

Grogu cried against her cloak, burying his face into her chest and gripping tight. Panic raced up Thell’s veins, causing her to hyperventilate. But Din was right there, shaking her back down to earth and looking at her. She wanted to kiss him again, to rip off that blasted helmet he hid so much behind and tell him just how much he meant to her.

But he was dragging her below the trees and talking to her, yelling at her above the wind and the sound of the ship coming closer.

“You have to go, _now!_ ”

Thell breathed heavily, looking at him with her mouth open. “I-I can’t leave you. What’s going on, Din?”

“It’s the Empire. They’re here for him.” His visor tilted towards Grogu, wrapped deep in Thell’s cloak.

“Then let’s go!” Thell yelled. “We need to get back to the ship!”

“I can’t!” He responded, dropping her shoulders as he slumped forward. “I have to hold them off.”

She knew what it meant. He was going on without her, giving her time to get back to the ship or _something._ It would give her time to escape, to get Grogu as far from this place as possible.

Thell shook her head, taking a shaky step back. His hand pulled her back, just close enough to where she could hear him.

“Do you trust me?” When he asked it again, Thell finally nodded. “Good. Then you need to leave, and go. Get as far from here as you can. Don’t wait at the ship for me.”

Thell trembled. “ _Don’t wait?_ If it’s the Empire, they’ll kill you, Din. Do you have any idea how much I care about you? I’m not leaving you!”

His hand came up to cup her head, gently running his thumb along her hair. “If I had all the time in the world, I would tell you everything about how you’ve made me feel these past four months. It’s made me crazy and I thought I would never feel this way for someone. But I do. And if you care about me at all, you’ll leave.”

“But, Din,” Thell pressed, pushing against his arm. “I can fight, or we can leave together. We’ll make it back!”

“No, we won’t.”

“But... I need you!” Thell begged, tears streaming down her face like rivers.

“You’ll be okay, just go, Thell. Please.”

“He needs you!” Thell sobbed, her eyes flickering to the baby in her arms, and she swore she saw Din break under the mask. Despite the chaos and danger that was right above them, she was glad he at least got this moment, reaching out gently to rub one of Grogu’s ears. It was a long, wavering moment before he spoke again, his iron grip having turned gentle.

“You need each other. You’ll protect each other,” he breathed in deeply, his chest trembling. “Protect him, Thell. Please.”

“Din-“

“ _Please,_ Thell,” he begged, his voice breaking under the modulator.

She could only stare up at him, the memories of their first meeting in her Bespin home filtering through her mind. How lonely and scared they had both been, and not even realizing it. And how whole she had felt once she had come to know Din and his story. They were more alike than she had realized, and she was really only truly getting to know him.

Her heart ached with the unspoken words and gestures that were left between them, the things she wanted to share with him, the kisses, the hugs.

He seemed to sense her stalling, and cupped the back of her head, pushing her forward to press the lip of the Beskar helmet to her forehead. Thell sobbed, closing her eyes when she felt Grogu even reach up between them, cupping his three-fingered hand on the metal. He seemed to understand, whining softly.

Shots exploded somewhere behind them, causing the ground to quake under their feet, and Din finally released her.

“I’ll see you soon, okay?” He said, pushing her towards the woods.

She squeezed his hand, just one last time, before she finally let go. She had just turned, about to run off into the darkness of the woods. But she paused, despite the turmoil churning in her heart.

She swiveled back to Din, just a few yards away.

“Din!” She called, catching his attention.

His eyeline caught her’s. “What are you still doing here? Go, Thell!”

She didn’t know why she did it. She just knew she had to, if she was never going to see him again.

 _“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum!”_ Thell shouted, letting the smile grow on her face and the relief burst like a bubble in her chest.

She knew it was the equivalent to an I love you from one person to another, but it meant something else in Mando’a. So it made her wonder what exactly it meant to Din. Whatever its meaning, she meant it wholeheartedly.

Regardless, he had taught her several words and phrases in Mando’a over the months, and she had grown up hearing Darand trying to learn the language himself.

But no. She hadn’t learned it from that.

She had learned it from seeing the engraving on the inside of her left vambrace, the one that was fresh and hot when Din had handed them back to her in the forge. Like he had engraved it right then and there, just for her to see on a whim.

He stood, as still as a statue or someone stuck in carbonite. But if he was going to respond, he would never get the chance. Because the ship above them rang with a loud bellow, and a shot fired right in between them, causing the ground to shake and explode under Thell’s feet and throw her backwards into the darkness of the woods. All she could see were the flashing colors of fire and sparks around her, the smell of smoke stinging her nose as she stumbled to her feet, holding Grogu close as she looked over her shoulder for the last time before plummeting further into the darkening wood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> goodness gracious... i just love this chapter. maybe their relationship moves a little fast here, but it is also setting up the rising action for the rest of the book, so i hope it doesn't catch you too off guard. :) but goodie for first kisses between din and thell!
> 
> i love you all!! thank you so much for all the love and support on my story... every hit, kudos, bookmark, and comment literally means so much. i will always be so grateful <3


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Tenacity

Thell could spot three of them just beyond the border of the trees.

Gleaming, white armor stuck out like moonlight in the blaring lights of the starship overhead, the heavy firearms draped in their arms as they patrolled the Razor Crest. No points of safe entry, no weak points from where she could see. They were looking for her, or the child, or Din, and she knew it.

Thell had never seen stormtroopers in person, but she knew what they looked like. However, they were much more frightening up close.

Grogu whined against her cloak, and Thell’s heart raced at the reminder of the treasure that she was escaping with. Din had entrusted his safety wholly to her, his own son. The one that he loved with all his heart but never admitted to. Thell would die if it meant getting Grogu somewhere safe.

“Shh,” she whispered, sinking to her knees behind the ferns and placing him on the ground. Big dark eyes stared back at her in the dark. The only light was from the moon and the fading lights of the starship hovering over them. In the safety of the woods, the canopy of trees provided a barrier against the light, trapping them in an almost peaceful darkness.

She rubbed his head with one shaking hand. “It’s okay, bud. I’m going to get you out of here.”

She heard the way he whined, how his eyes traveled to the far end of the woods where Thell had sprinted from. She was sweating now, her legs trembling after running as fast as she could to the ship. That was until she found three stormtroopers circling it.

She had thought about Din while running, thinking how stupid she had been for telling him that she loved him in the midst of a wild panic. She didn’t regret it, but she wished she had said it at a different time, not after their first kiss and yet another near-death experience. He didn’t love her, he couldn’t. They were just completing a mission together. After this was all over, it would be different.

She just wished she knew where he was now, if he was safe, or even alive in the first place.

But she had shoved the terror deep down and focused every intent back on the kid. He was her first priority, he had been since the beginning, and she had to get him off this planet.

Thell peeked over the ferns again, fingers resting against the blaster on her hip. She knew how to shoot; she knew she was a better shot than most. Maybe because of her father, maybe because of Din.

If anything, it meant she had a chance.

Swiveling back to Grogu, Thell picked him up and set him just a few paces from her.

“You stay right here,” she whispered sternly, pointing a finger at him. “Don’t move. Okay?”

But Thell could only smack her forehead when he looked at her with wide eyes and tilted his head, like he had heard nothing she said.

“Fine.” Thell rolled her eyes, scooping him back up so he could sit in the hood of her cloak. She felt him cling to the bottom of her hair, fidgeting in the hood as she shuffled back towards the trees.

Thell let her eyes travel over the soldiers, knowing if she hit them directly, she would have enough time to move if she needed to and not get cornered.

“Stay down, okay?” Thell whispered to Grogu. “We’re gonna get out of here... with your dad.”

That part was still in the works, but she knew she could get to him somehow. She had to.

The blaster trembled in her hands as she raised it to the first trooper, about a hundred feet from where she stood, looking in the opposite direction. She switched the safety off, holding it with two hands to stabilize herself.

She knew what Din would say, actually _do_ was more like it. Probably stare at her through that dark visor, clap her shoulder when she performed well.

In all of his silence, he had said so much.

Gritting her teeth, Thell focused on the single trooper and fired, hitting directly into his back. He grunted loudly and stumbled, the blaster falling from his hands as a charred circle appeared in his armor. She could hear the other two rushing forward, speaking into their comlinks.

So she twisted around the tree the opposite way, finding the next trooper and firing. She missed the first time, going right over his shoulder as he ran to his comrade. But the second shot hit home, landing directly in his sternum and sending him flying. He landed with a loud clunk against the wall of the Razor Crest just as Thell spotted the third trooper, who stopped in his tracks.

Something about the way he stared into the woods made Thell wonder if he had seen her, and she wasn’t going to take that risk.

At his first movement, she fired, missing completely. Thell had to keep herself from screaming as she swung back around the tree, watching his own shot fire off into the woods and explode into a tree trunk. Sparks littered the ground and smoke filled her nose as she swung her arm back around, firing twice.

She saw him stumble; she must have hit his leg. So Thell took the open shot and fired for a last time, shooting straight through his helmet. He stumbled for a moment, before completely going limp and collapsing against the ground.

After a long moment of her eyes being locked on the bodies, Thell’s mind came back to her when Grogu tugged on her hair. She panted, wiping sweat from her forehead and tucking her blaster away before she shoved herself away from the tree.

Legs shaking with every step, she walked past the bodies, not even sparing a second glance at them as she knew it would only make her feel worse. Nausea was already rising in her throat, and she had nearly collapsed when her feet finally hit the side ramp.

Grogu murmured, and Thell pushed her hand against her leg, bracing herself as she climbed up the ramp and into the cargo hold. She couldn’t let herself linger; for one second she caught sight of Din’s bed, of the blankets half made and thrown aside when they had all woken that morning. It had been peaceful then, just the three of them.

Forcing a sob down, Thell climbed the ladder step by step into the cockpit, just making it past the sliding doors when she felt her blood turn to ice.

A trooper sat in Din’s seat, whirling halfway as the doors closed behind her. For mere moments, Thell could only stare back at him, her fingers hovering over her blaster before she snatched it upright.

“Get out,” she snarled, pointing it directly at his head. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t said a word since she had arrived. Grogu whined in her cloak, and she felt him huddle deeper in her hood.

“I said,” Thell repeated, gritting her teeth. “ _Get out._ ”

It only hit her when the doors opened up behind her; he had been stalling long enough for another to come up behind her. There was a small crack and pressure against the back of her head, cold metal colliding with her skull so forcefully it crushed her to the floor.

. . . .

Din was laughing, laughing like she had only ever heard him do several times. His hand was in her’s like it always was, warm and solid amidst everything that had happened to them. Thell could press her forehead to his, feel his nose brush gently against her’s, making her giggle. Grogu was there too, held tight between them.

It was everything she had ever wanted.

And then it was gone, and the only thing Thell felt was the bite of steel against her back and wrists.

She woke up with a start, jolting upright until realizing she was on her side. Her head was pounding and something warm had pooled at the base of her neck. She went to move her hands, but found them constrained together. Thell panicked, throwing herself on her stomach so she could force herself to her knees. When she did, she heard a soft whine behind her.

“Grogu!” She sobbed, scrambling towards him. He had some sort of restraints on his wrists as well, ones that glowed blue.

He was laying on his side at the corner of the room, a small, bare room with dark matte walls and a single bright light hovering above them. The air was frigid and it nipped at Thell’s skin as she pushed herself on her knees, arms reaching out to tuck the kid close to her. He was crying softly, eyes creased as she ran her fingers over his head.

Anger and fear was pouring out of her like she had never felt at the sight of him. He was terrified, weak, and she had never wanted Din back so much.

“You okay?” She said, leaning close and cradling him as best as she could while digging herself into the corner. Even with her shackled hands, she drew him close to her face, pressing her cheek to his head as tears poured.

“We’ll be okay,” she whispered, only for him to hear. “I’ll protect you. We’ll be fine.”

She just wished she believed those words herself.

Her blaster was gone, and something about the pain on her head told her it wasn’t just a bruise.

It felt like hours, huddled against the cold wall with dried tears sticking on her face, until someone arrived. Thell’s head shot up, and she could feel Grogu’s ears twitch against her neck as she spotted the doors sliding open.

It was a single trooper, accompanied by an older man dressed entirely in gleaming black clothing. He walked with his hands behind his back and stood with his chin tilted, allowing Thell a grotesque look at the pale skin of his face under the bright light.

She drew tighter to the wall as they approached in silence, shakily standing to her feet and keeping her arms protectively around the kid.

“Where am I?” Thell demanded, air catching in her throat.

“You are in the Empire’s custody, under the command of Moff Gideon,” the older man said without moving nearly a muscle on his face.

Thell shuddered, holding Grogu tighter. “Why?”

“Because of him,” he said, nodding to the kid. “He’s a very important asset to Gideon. We’ve been tracking him for months, the blaster creature.”

Thell’s brows quivered. “... why do you need him? He’s just a kid.”

She saw the slightest twitch of the officer’s lip. “You might see a child, my dear, but in the eyes of the Empire, he’s the most wanted being in the galaxy.”

Grogu cried, muffled by her cloak. Thell turned sideways, shielding him from their view.

“Why are you here?” Thell asked, trying to get as much information as she could. If she escaped, it might be useful to Din. “Is Moff Gideon here?”

“No,” the officer replied coldly. “We’re moving you.”

Thell blinked. “Moving me? Where?”

“You’re not worth anything to Gideon. Leave the kid here and come with me.”

Thell’s knees almost buckled, and she fought to keep from screaming as she shoved herself back against the wall. She wouldn’t leave him, not for anything.

“I’m staying with him,” she growled, gritting her teeth.

The officer sighed and made a single motion to the trooper, who stomped towards Thell almost immediately. Panicked, Thell reached for her blaster before realizing it had already been taken, right as the trooper’s hand gripped her arm, pulling her forward.

Grogu yelped as Thell held him with one arm, pushing against the trooper with the other, even with the restraints.

“Please!” She begged, heels skidding on the floor. “Please, let me stay with him!”

She felt pathetic, begging the Empire when she knew how much the kid meant to them.

“Please, I won’t do anything!”

The only other thing she could was fight, and after a moment of struggling, it became her only option.

Grogu slid down her leg just as she raised her other arm, locking her leg under the trooper’s to try and flip him. But he was heavier and sturdier than he looked, and her leg only stayed clamped between his. The iron grip on her arm released momentarily as something buzzed in his hand.

Thell heard the rod before she actually felt the pain, sparks and fire-hot bites shooting up her leg as the rod was shoved against her thigh. A scream erupted from her throat, cutting through the silence and causing her to draw her arms inward. Her body felt light and heavy at the same time, and she felt herself falling as the buzzing rang in her ears. The electrocution only stopped when she had collapsed against the floor, the steel bruising her shoulder and hip. She struggled to breath, drawing in ragged breaths while trying to find Grogu through her blurred vision. She had expected to hear them stumbling off, the kid’s fading cries following after them.

But the only thing she heard was a loud grunt and heavy thump as something collided with the wall behind her. Blinking heavily and with shaky arms, Thell pushed herself up, resting on her elbows as she surveyed the room.

But it was Grogu, tiny hand extended with his eyes narrowed, looking angrier than she had ever seen him. And the trooper that had electrocuted her, in a crumpled heap on the other side of the room. The wall was even dented above his head, a solid steel wall caved in at many angles.

Thell could barely breathe, even as the trooper pushed himself up and hobbled back to the front of the room to the officer. The latter looked like stone, eyes staring daggers at the both of them.

“Moff Gideon’s ship will be on the planet soon enough. He’ll deal with you then... _himself.”_

With a cold glare in her direction, the two excited the room, the sliding doors locking them together again. “Grogu?” She managed to choke out, crawling towards him just as he began to sway. She caught him in her arms, laying on her own stomach on the cold flooring and bringing him close to her face as she curled on her side. He looked exhausted, drained off all energy as he sagged against the collar of her tunic.

“Thank you, buddy,” she breathed, kissing his head. “You saved me.”

She would never be able to repay him, maybe with bringing him to the safe place he needed but nothing completely. He had potentially saved her life, but in the process, risked both of theirs. If they were going to die, she didn’t want him to be alone.

She just wished Din was here, swooping in with that dramatic cape flowing behind him like it always did.

But he wasn’t, and Thell felt the despair rock her. She only held Grogu close, whispering sweet things in his ears as they both drifted off, awaiting a greater fate.

She fell in and out of a restless sleep, awoken by loud noises, the cold of the room, or the enduring pain in her leg. It felt like someone was burning her thigh from the inside out, creating intricate markings. She had never felt this much pain in her life, and she tried to hide as much as it from Grogu as she could.

At one point, Grogu crawled particularly close, pawing at her face. She blinked groggily, blinded by the pain in her leg and head, but she sensed what he wanted. She hummed softly, singing him the same song she had sung just nights before, the night she had told Din she liked him.

Tears poured from her face as she replayed the memories in her head, holding onto them like they were her lifeline. Din’s bare hand on her face, his lips melding to her’s in the sweetest kiss she knew she would ever get. But those became muddled with the pain, and she drifted off again.

The only time she was fully conscious was when Grogu was poking at her face, trying to tell her something.

“What is it?” She asked groggily, bending her head up to where he was pointing.

_An air duct._

Thell knew them well. She used air ducts to sneak into different parts of Darand’s house as a kid.

“Huh... Guess it comes in handy now, then.”

Even in her exhausted state and confined arms, Thell raised Grogu up on her arms so he could reach the grate. The ceiling wasn’t too high, as it slanted at different angles, so it was an easy reach for her.

“Okay, you gotta twist that little knob right there... oh. You got it,” Thell muttered. “Must be nice to have those powers.”

He had pushed away the grate inside the duct, and Thell gently lifted him inside. Her leg still burned from the rod, but Thell jumped up and heaved herself into the duct anyway, despite any cameras that may have been watching them. She knew she was risking it for the both of them, but she had to get Grogu out before Moff Gideon arrived.

She replaced the grate as soon as she climbed inside and turned back to Grogu. He was sitting down, looking exhausted but his eyes were a bit brighter.

“It’s okay. We’re gonna be alright,” Thell whispered. “Just go that way, okay? And don’t make too much noise.”

They crawled slowly through the air duct, Grogu waddling just barely ahead of her. He was slow, and she could see in the way that his ears drooped that he was exhausted. Every knee forward surged a new wave of pain through her leg, but she was determined. If they could make it out of the room with such ease, maybe they could make it out.

That was until she heard alarms blaring in the distance, just behind the air duct walls. Grogu made a small noise and cocked his head, looking back at Thell. After a moment, she shook her head and motioned him to keep moving.

They had been crawling for several minutes when Thell came upon an upright grate. She shuffled closer, Grogu close between her arms as she peeked through the slats in the grate. Just beyond, she could see a small hallway, lined with storage boxes and pipes lining the ceiling. It seemed like some sort of maintenance hallway, with no troopers or generals walking by.

“I’m gonna take a peek outside,” Thell whispered, pushing past the kid. “You stay right here. Don’t move, Grogu.”

As quietly as she could, Thell removed the grate and placed it on one of the storage boxes adjacent to the duct. She poked her head out, looking side to side before completely slipping out. The hallway was bare of any other beings, and she couldn’t even hear the alarms from this side of the building. She twisted, looking for an obvious direction. Both ends of the hallways curved opposite directions, leading into other passages.

“Okay, it looks like we’re good to go,” Thell said, turning back to the kid.

But the air duct entrance was vacant, and Grogu was gone. Heart pounding, Thell swiveled around, looking for Grogu in the boxes in the hallway or down the other corridors. She didn’t dare raise her voice to find him, in case someone was looking for them. Panicked to the core, she stumbled back to the air duct, pulling herself inside and looking down the ways they had come.

“Kid!” She called, too frantic and terror rising in her whole being to not shout .

But he was gone, like a pillar of smoke slipping out right from underneath her fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok wow thell just loves grogu a lot, okay??? she would literally die for him and my heart hurts <3 
> 
> thank you so much for reading and keeping up with my story! we're probably a bit over the halfway point at this bit... not sure how many chapters are left but i have pretty much the rest of it outlined. i hope to make you all proud <3


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Perseverance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw//: some trauma/angst/violence/mild(and implied) torture towards oc in this chapter... nothing too graphic, but stuff we haven't seen before. so i wanted to give you guys a heads up! also a little bit of a shorter chapter!

“Kid!” Thell shouted again, tears starting to burn behind her eyes.

She scrambled backwards out of the air duct best she could with her restrained hands, landing back against the crates in the hallway. It was still empty, to her greatest relief, so she rolled onto her back, heaving herself up so she could peer through the boxes.

“Kid!” She called again, softer this time, terror rising in every vein of her body. Maybe he was hiding, or had wandered further down the hallway.

“Hey!” A loud voice boomed down the corridor.

At first glance, her head spinning, she thought it was Din, gleaming armor in the bright hallway lights and a domineering figure.

“Mando?” She whispered under her breath, her head lolling with exhaustion. Her throat felt oddly dry, like she hadn’t drank in days, and it was hitting her like a blaster shot.

Something singed along her arm, burning like fire. Breaking into a yelp, Thell stumbled, gripping her arm as she careened against the crates. Something whirred behind her and she heard an explosion at the other end of the hallway.

Kriff.

Two stormtroopers were firing at her, causing her to dash down the other end of the hallway. Pain shot up her leg from where she had been electrocuted, and she stumbled, gripping the wall to help herself around the corner. Her foot slipped on the smooth flooring, sending her flying forward as her knees collided with the ground. There were only a few spare moments that she could recover, heaving in a gulping breath before someone snagged the hood of her cloak, shoving her back to her feet. Over the blood pounding in her own ears, she could hear laughter and a hand prying at her cloak as she stumbled.

Thell clawed at the hand, wriggling in the grip. “Don’t touch me! Let go of me!”

The intruder flipped her around, having her come face to face with the gleaming white helmet of a large stormtrooper. His hand fastened around the collar of her cloak, tugging her close until she had to stand on her tiptoes, and she could feel the cold brush of metal against her legs.

“Maybe I should just keep you to myself, huh?” he sneered, and Thell swore she could hear a smirk in his voice. “You’re not too shabby for a lowly girl.”

Thell bared her teeth, fighting through the fear that was trying to paralyze her. Her leg stung from the fall and her headache from earlier was returning, threatening to make her pass out.

Instead, to keep herself awake, she dug her fingernails into the material covering his elbow, digging as hard as she could. He flinched, groaning at her and smacking her hand away. His free hand gripped her hair, tugging her skull back and sending pain racing up her scalp. Thell whined, squeezing her eyes shut.

“Feisty, too, huh?” The stormtrooper chuckled darkly. “I think I’ll hold onto you. No one would want you anyway.”

The comment stung deep, and the Mandalorian’s helmet flashed in her mind. She wanted to cry, to hide away like she was used to. That would be the easy route, to give up when she had no way of escaping. But it seemed it wasn’t her choice to make.

“Trooper,” came a low voice behind them. The hold on her collar loosened just slightly, and Thell jerked away, falling onto her backside on the smooth flooring. Her head was pounding, and she pushed her hands against her eyes even as she heard more footsteps approach them.

“What did the Commander want us to do with her?” She heard one of them say. “The kid isn’t here.”

Thell wanted to let out a sigh of relief. They hadn’t found Grogu, so it seemed he was still safe for the time being.

“Not sure... Give me a second.”

She cast a wary glance in their direction, making eye contact with the trooper that had grabbed her. The other one had his back turned to her and was murmuring into a comlink on his wrist.

“He says to put her in a cell.”

The large stormtrooper bore down with a dark gaze in her direction, causing Thell to shudder.

“With pleasure.”

They hoisted her to her feet, shoving her forward to walk at their arm’s length. Thell hissed, limping with the pain laced up her thigh. She knew she couldn’t beat them, not in her state. But she could fight back, show them she wasn’t giving up while knowing that Grogu was still out there. Probably scared, alone. And Din. She couldn’t imagine how he was feeling right now.

So as soon as they made their way to another holding cell, she threw her shoulder against the trooper, stomping down as hard as she could with her good leg in between his shin and foot. He groaned, shouting a string of curses and shoving her against the wall. Her chin caught steel and blood exploded under her tongue, making her whimper.

“Insolent girl,” he growled behind her, grabbing her by her shackles and shoving her into the room. It looked like her old holding cell, except their was a stormtrooper in black armor on the other side of the room, surrounded by a wall of various objects. Thell could barely get a good glimpse before she was shoved sideways, face to face with another man in grey. He was older than the last man she had seen, smoothed back white hair and dark glasses resting on his nose.

“Name?” He asked slowly, peering at her with narrowed eyes.

Thell stared back, surprised by the sudden pleasantries. “Thell.”

“Miss Thell, you are aware that you have been harboring a wanted persons with your colleague, the Mandalorian.”

Hearing his title on his lips made her squirm with anger. “He’s just a child.”

The man stepped closer, long grey suit dragging behind him. “A very powerful child, but I assume you already know that. He tends to only display his abilities in front of those he feels safe around... Do you know of his whereabouts since your escape?”

Thell blinked, wondering what she would say. She could lie, say that he had escaped before her, but she truly didn’t know where he was.

“No,” she bit back.

“Hm,” the man grumbled, his shoulders rising with a heavy breath. He paced the room, running gloved fingers over the weapons and tools surrounding the black stormtrooper.

“What do you suggest, admiral?” The trooper holding her back asked.

The man held up a single knife, twirling it between her fingers and causing it to gleam in the white lights.

“Make her scream. The child cares about her. Maybe the kid will come running along to save her like last time, and save us all the trouble of running around.”

Thell’s entire body went rigid, and she felt the way her blood chilled to ice. She stumbled across the smooth flooring and the tense grip of the trooper behind her.

“W-Wait, please!” Thell begged. “I-I can do something else. I’ll give you everything... my vambraces, their made from Beskar, they’re worth a lot of credits. Please!”

The admiral scoffed. “You think I care about something as measly as Beskar? Moff Gideon has been searching for that child for a long time. You’re quite a foolish girl. I’m surprised you lasted this long with the Mandalorian. I was led to believe that he didn’t care about anyone but himself.”

Thell’s lip twisted. She wanted to tell him off, scream at him or something, because he had no idea who Din Djarin was, and what he meant to Thell Sai’Lya.

“You’re wrong,” Thell snarled, curling her lip.

He bent forward, towering over her and raising her chin with a single finger. “For your sake, I wish I was.”

They left her alone with the single stormtrooper, and Thell pushed herself against the far wall, not being able to stop the tears that came fast. She watched with shaky hands as he rifled through the tools, wiping towels along a few and discarding others.

She closed her eyes and thought of the metal walls of the Razor Crest, how it whirred under her feet and sent them off to faraway places. She thought of the places they had been, Trask and Coruscant and Naboo. Wild green grass and friendly townspeople and Din’s hand warm in her own, constantly searching for her even when they slept by the firelight. She thought of Grogu’s large eyes, gleaming back at her through everything they had faced together, and of his grabby little hands that played with her hair and held her thumb with all of his small strength.

And she thought of Din, of meeting him on Bespin and almost leaving him on Coruscant. Of everything they had been through since then, finding her father’s armor, learning her own family’s story, all the while growing closer to the faceless man she had come to adore so greatly. The one with hidden brown eyes and an even deeper hidden heart.

All that time, and she had taken everything for granted.

She didn’t want to be afraid when the stormtrooper finally turned around, a long vial with clear liquid gripped in his left hand. But she was, and the tears didn’t stop as he approached her.

He didn’t speak as he flipped her arm over, shoving her sleeve upward and finding a vein in her arm. The helmet raised, looking at her through that dark visor, and Thell set her jaw, staring back defiantly.

“Do your worst,” she said, as calmly as she could between tears. “He won’t come.”

And she closed her eyes again, hoping and praying with all her heart that he wouldn’t.

. . . .

Grogu never came.

At least she thought he didn’t.

Ever since the needle had sunk into her arm, she had been seeing visions, memories replayed directly in front of her. They had been scattered, ranging in different colors and sizes. Faces were blurred, and voices sounded higher than usual.

Sometimes she saw Grogu, and would cry out, heaving herself up and crawling towards him. But her hands would collide with air, and she could hear laughter beyond the room. Sometimes she even saw Din, but he didn’t look like she remembered him, all twisted and pale colored.

She had tried to shake herself out of it, knowing it was a drug they had put into her system. But she was weak as it was, with the concussion from when she had passed out and the wounds she had sustained.

So she gave in, curled in a heap on the coldness of the steel floor. She knew she had been crying; her cheeks were sticky every time she touched her face. She must have been yelling at some point too, because her throat was raw with every breath she took.

The minutes felt like hours, and the hours felt like minutes. Time mingled with itself, and she was choking in its hold.

The only thing that comforted her, one that brought her peace despite the hallucinations and exhaustion that tugged at her body, was the memory of the constellations. She could see them beyond her closed eyes, clear in her blurry mind, planets and stars sticking out like bright lights. She could imagine sitting with her mother on the roof of Darand’s mansion, caressing her hair like she always did, her voice soft.

And Din Djarin mingled into her memories, overtaking the one’s of her youth. She found herself sitting in the cockpit with him the first month they had been traveling together, too scared by her nightmares to sleep. She had wandered into the cockpit night after night, first to watch the constellations to calm herself, and eventually to talk to Din. She remembered watching the constellations with Grogu sleeping on her chest and Din laying beside her, talking about anything and everything. In the midst of the danger they faced, the constellations, those chilly nights under the stars where they snuggled close together... That was their safe haven.

It was Thell’s, after all.

If Grogu made it out safe, if Din was safe and they were reunited, it would be worth all the pain. She would take everything for them if it meant they were okay. Even if she never found out.

The first time she could hear and see clearly again, there were others in the room. But their conversation was scattered, and Thell groaned against the floor, trying to force herself to feel better. Her body felt like deadweight, only having enough strength to tilt her head up.

“-Keeps yelling out for someone called Din-"

“Hasn't stopped crying-"

“It’s been days at this point, I don’t think she could take much more-”

Even in her state, Thell could make out the familiar shape of the admiral from earlier, the one that made her blood curdle.

He leaned over her, bent on one knee beside her curled body.

“You’ve caused us a lot of trouble, girl,” he sneered. “You should be glad we didn’t put a blaster to your head the moment you got here.”

Thell felt herself smiling, a weird laugh rising in her throat. She felt out of sorts, her body running low and her brain fuzzy as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.

“What now, admiral?” She heard someone say, but they sounded miles away.

He looked over her once before standing and pacing to the door, running a hand along the steel.

“The kid has yet to show up, and he may have gotten out already. She’s useless to us now.”

“What do you want us to do with her... Admiral?”

“She’s already feeling the effects of the dehydration. “A cruel, twisted smirk grew over his glossy features. “Toss her. Let her suffer.”

Thell blinked up at him just as her body went limp and her vision started to blur, turning black around the edges.

“She won’t last a day in the forest.”

. . . .

The first thing that made sense in Thell’s scattered mind was the taste of salt in her mouth. She blinked groggily, harsh yellow light capturing her vision immediately. Soft dirt ground up underneath her hands as she pushed herself off her stomach, rolling onto her back instead. Something churned inside her stomach and she flipped again, hurling into the dirt beside her head.

Thell choked, coughing up water until she could breathe again, and pushing herself back. Her body was sore, and soaking wet, her tunic sticking like glue to her skin. She could still feel her vambraces sewn into her shirt, pressing to her arms. Light flared beyond her eyes, and she finally opened them.

Sunlight was pouring down on her, basking her body in a relieving warmth. As her vision cleared, she could make out the green leaves of swaying branches above her head, whirling in a soft wind. It whistled just beyond her ears, churning the leaves that lay on the ground beside her.

Bracing herself with her good arm, Thell pushed herself to a sitting position, taking in the area around her. She was on the bank of a river, surrounded by sand and leaves. Her boots were caked with wet sand, half submerged in the water. It was flowing fast, moving and twisting through the forest beyond her vision.

She wondered briefly if it was still an aftereffect of the drug, one that was just making her see what she wanted to see. Where had she been before? Where had they thrown her?

But the sun felt too real, the crisp beads of sand between her hands and underneath her fingernails. The pain, too real, as she pushed herself closer to the water, sitting waist deep in the coolness of the liquid. It took away some of the momentary pain, and quenched the thirst that ached in her throat. She cupped her hands, taking mouthful after mouthful until she felt too sick to try again. She poured it over her face, shutting her eyes and letting the water do its magic, relaxing against her skin. It rained down over her hair, fingers scrunching to try and get rid of the dried blood on her scalp.

She still had her eyes closed when she heard voices approaching, and twisted, pushing herself to stand as fast as she could. Her heart was pounding, entire body on flight mode as she swiveled, trying to find the voices.

She spotted colorful shapes moving in the trees, shorter figures tromping ahead of others with large baskets on their heads. Thell blinked, hands trembling with anxiety as they finally neared and caught her line of vision.

They were humans, like here, but with darker skin and purple tattoos across their faces. They looked like rural villagers, dressed in simple, colorful clothing and holding baskets weaved from tree limbs.

Thell put her hands out defensively, shaking her head, feeling the fear overwhelm her. It wasn’t until she had seen them that it hit her: Grogu was gone.

“I...” she struggled to say, feeling the aching in her throat. “Where is he?”

The people took a step back, the children looking at their parents and running back under their arms. Thell’s brows creased. Who were they? Why were they here?

“Where is he?” she repeated, angrier this time. “Where’s the kid?”

They murmured amongst themselves in a language Thell didn’t know, and she crumpled to her knees. Hands tugging at her hair, Thell sobbed, her mind confused and her heart even more so. She could sense the people approaching her, but still maintained their distance. It was only when she finally lowered her hands, chest heaving with aching breaths, that she felt someone approach.

It was an older woman, with kind amber eyes that looked down at her. Her face was weary with lines of age, but there was something about her that reminded Thell of Seba, her own mother. A wrinkled hand reached towards her, cupping the back of her head. She was saying something, her cracked lips trying to communicate to Thell.

“I... I don’t understand,” she sobbed. “I don’t understand, I’m sorry.”

She shook again, and the hand moved to her shoulder as the woman bent down in front of her, laying her basket at Thell’s feet. It was filled to the brim with colorful fruits, ones that Thell would have admired had she not been withdrawing from the drugs.

She could only tug on the woman’s arm with weak hands, tears pouring down her face.

“Where is he?” she choked out. “Where’s my kid?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow thanks so much for reading!! i hope it wasn't too much or didn't send anyone running for the hills. of course, i would think that any writer would hate to do this to their characters, but it all holds a greater purpose... so don't lose hope! i love thell with my whole heart, and this is all a part of her story. 
> 
> im vv thankful for all my readers!! thank you for continuing to support my story and leaving kudos and comments!!


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Signal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh wow i did not expect the reaction from the last chapter!!! i know it was rough and i'm sure we're all wanting to see them reunite again... enjoy this chapter! it's much lighter than the last.

This was beginning to happen a lot.

Waking up suddenly in strange places, surrounded by new things.

But for once, it was calm.

Thell looked around first without moving her head, letting her eyes scan the room. She was in some circular hut made of wooden posts and composed of straw and branches. There was a single window above her head, letting in wisps of fresh air that soothed her soul.

Her mind was still foggy, the events of the past week muddling into one. When she was barely conscious, she could see kind brown eyes hovering over her, pouring water onto her lips. Sometimes, when she could barely see in the night, she heard tromping around in the hut and heard soft talking. But it wasn't English, and Thell didn't recognize any of the words.

It felt like that lasted that way for days, falling in and out of consciousness before waking up in pain all over again. Sometimes she felt soft caresses on her head, like Din used to do, before realizing that the gnarled hands were brown and wrinkled, and the woman tending to her was the one who found her, half dead in the woods. The pain would last for hours, trickling up and down her body like a virus. When it finally did go away, she was too exhausted to do anything but pass out.

It felt like she had lived a lifetime before she could finally wake up properly, and feel able enough to sit up. Thell only hurt when she rose, her bones cracking as she pushed herself to sit up. Her body felt heavy and as if she had been sleeping for years. A course blanket covered her legs on the straw mat she had been sleeping on, and tan bandages wrapped on her upper arm where she had been shot. There was one on her wrist, too, where the drug had been injected. Where her vambrace had been-

She shot up, throwing the blanket off and stumbling off the bed, crashing to the wooden floor immediately. She grunted, hissing in pain while trying to stand up sideways.

The doorway, covered by a small blanket, waved open, and in walked a woman just a few years older than her, black hair streaming to her waist and soft brown eyes. Thell looked up at her from the floor, hair hanging in front of her eyes.

"... where am I?" Thell croaked. She flinched subconsciously as the woman neared her, and she seemed to notice immediately, drawing away and opening her hands.

"I... I'm sorry, I feel so out of sorts," Thell mumbled, pressing a hand to her head. "Everything's so muddled right now... my vambraces, where are they?"

But when she looked back at the woman, she was only staring blankly at her. Thell groaned and pointed to her arm.

"My armor. Do you know where my armor is?" She asked, patting her forearms.

The woman put a finger up, saying something softly before rushing back out of the house. Thell sighed, leaning back on her hands.

There wasn't much in the small house beside the mat she had been sleeping on, and shelves lined with other baskets and herbs. Medicinal supplies, it looked like.

From her spot on the floor, she could see her tunic and outerwear crumpled in a heap on the top shelf. Whoever had dressed her wounds had left her in her undershirt, a simple black shirt without sleeves that hung loose across her hips. Her brown pants seemed unharmed, except for the small charred spot where the electrocution rod had stung her. The memory surged through her like it was happening all over again, and Thell squeezed her eyes shut, trying to slow her breath before she freaked out again.

Turning sideways, Thell clung to the mat as she pushed herself to her feet, lazily grabbing her belongings from the shelf. She had just found her vambraces, to her greatest relief, when the curtain moved out of the corner of her vision.

Thell stumbled back, falling into a corner filled to the brim with baskets. They poked at her skin, but the fear she felt was overwhelming. It was the same woman from earlier, and the older woman who had come to her in the woods. Her breathing lessened, just slightly, before she sank against the baskets. They approached slowly, offering their hands so Thell could heave herself up.

"Thank you," she whispered, knowing they wouldn't understand anyway. She brushed off her undershirt, swallowing hard as their eyes flickered over her's. She was still shaky from the surprise intrusion, which bothered her. Had she always been like this? What had that drug done to her?

They stared back at her with wandering, curious eyes, and Thell shrank back.

"Um... does anyone here speak English?" She asked, to which they stared back at her. "English? Anyone?"

They seemed to finally understand the one word, but the looks on their faces and the shakes of their heads that they gave told Thell enough. She sighed, resting one hand against the wall as she tried to think. She needed to figure out a way to communicate with them, to see if they had a signal that could reach the Mandalorian, or anyone else she knew for that matter.

"A droid!" She exclaimed, turning back towards them. "Do you have a droid?" She mimicked droid sounds, even trying to show with her hands what she meant. The younger woman took her hand, leading her out of the hut and into the sunshine outside.

It was bright, brighter than Thell remembered, and she heard laughter. Actual laughter. It felt like years, decades since she had heard that sound from anyone. There were kids running at her feet, playing with balls or chasing each other through the village. The village itself was large, with towering houses made from wood and stone, but no electricity that Thell could see. Everywhere she passed by, people were laughing, bantering with one another or eating food.

She couldn't believe her eyes; it seemed too good to be true after all she had been through... how long had she really been there, anyway?

Thell was still limping, but the immediate pain of her injuries seemed to have subsided, and the woman led her with her arm looped in her's. She wanted to cry at the gentle touches, compared to the anger and violence she had been shown at the base. She could see bruises along her arms and ankles where she had been thrown, a testament to what she had endured. She couldn't let her gaze linger long though, because it only made her relieve those memories.

And every loud sound, every children's cry that turned out to be playful, caused her to flinch. She would shrink back against the woman holding her arm, leading her through the village. Someone walked right past her shoulder and she had to hold in a shriek. Her heart was pounding and she had no idea why.

_What in Kriff is wrong with me?_

But the small gang of droids that the woman led her to were her saving grace. The woman said something in that language she didn't recognize, and they all seemed to congregate around her, whirring excitedly. Thell fell softly to her knees, exhaling deeply. They all seemed to be in good working condition, despite the mud that caked their legs and the faded paint jobs.

A red R3 unit scooted up close to her, whirring a string of beeps.

"Oh, gosh," Thell breathed. "You have no idea how happy I am to see someone like you."

She raised her hand to smooth it over the metal top of the droid. She had always liked droids, having grown up with several in Darand's household. It was the only other language she was fluent in.

"Please, um... thank these people for me, and for their hospitality. They saved my life."

The R3 unit swiveled his capped head to the group of people beginning to stand around her, whistling a series of beeps. Thell felt several people's eyes on her, heard the soft murmuring of the crowd. The young woman was still beside her, and patted her gently on the shoulder.

"I... I need to find a way to reach a Mandalorian," Thell spoke to the droid. "Or, or someone. Anyone I know. Uh... can you radio in to Nevarro? Or are we too far?"

The R3 unit hummed softly, an affirmation in their language that made Thell smile, actually smile.

"Okay... uh." Thell ran a hand through her hair. "Just radio in. I don't know. The main town should do.... Kriff, I hope this works."

The R3 unit beeped excitedly, and Thell could only watch in wonder as several of the villager's children ran off and returned with a single, large antenna and attaching it to the droid's head. The orb on his head blinked red, then yellow, then a bright blue as he whirred, rocking on his little feet. Thell's heart raced, hoping desperately that somehow she could reach Cara and Karga.

There was a crackling sound that emitted from the R3 unit, one that sounded like she was beginning to reach them. She heard small sounds of wonder emanate from the people, who had moved back a few feet to give her space.

Thell raised her hand to the droid, right over where the speaker sat.

"Please, please work," she begged under her breath.

A long silence ensued, and Thell had nearly given up until she heard a familiar female voice.

"Hello? Who is this?"

Thell pushed her hand against the droid, tears building in her eyes at the sound of her friend's voice. "Cara! Cara, it's me! It's Thell!"

"Thell?" Cara answered, her voice crackling and distant through the speaker. "What are you doing? How'd you call in?"

Thell exhaled, slumping forward. "It's a long story, Cara, but I need your help. I was with Mando," she explained, catching herself before she spoke Din's actual name. "And we got separated. I got sent to this Empire base with Grogu but we got split up... I need your help, please!"

"Kriff, slow down, kid, slow down. Are you alright?"

Thell paused, wondering that herself. "I... I'm okay. I'm safe right now. But I don't know where I am. I woke up by a river, and these people took me in and cared for me... But the kid's gone. I don't know where he is."

Cara was silent on the other end for a long time before she spoke again. "What's your plan?"

"I... I don't know how to contact Din, and I thought..." her voice broke. "I thought that if I called you it might work, and thank Kriff it did... I need you to reach him for me."

"I'll do you one better."

Thell blinked. "What? What do you mean?"

"I'll patch him through. Hold on just a sec, kid."

Thell's heart pumped, and she could feel her arms trembling against the droid. All had but gone silent around her, the easy song of birds the only thing that filled her ears.

That was until the static changed to a higher pitch, and then went flat. On the other end, through endless amounts of static, she could hear him.

"Thell?"

Hearing his voice sounded like home, and Thell swore that if she didn't truly love him before, she did now.

"Din?!" She nearly shouted into the speaker.

He sounded breathless."Kriff, it's good to hear your voice. I've been looking for you for two weeks," she heard him say on the other end. "Are you okay? Are you safe?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," she lied. If she was honest with herself, she wasn't okay. In actuality, she wondered if she was worse off then she thought.

And two weeks? She knew it had been long... but not that long. How long had she been in the Empire base, or even the village for that matter? How long since she had last seen Grogu?

"Where are you?" He asked.

"I, I don't know, some forest planet in a village," Thell stuttered. "No one speaks English here, I don't know the name. Theres droids here but I don't think the planet has a name."

"What do the people look like? Are there any significant landmarks around you?"

Thell's eyes darted around the landscape, to the people hovering around her.

"Uh.... nothing really, some ruins, mostly just forests and a river. They have dark skin, and purple tattoos on their faces. Kind of rural but their village is advanced."

"... I know where you are. I'm coming now. Is the kid okay?"

Thell's heart stopped, and she paused, bracing her hand against the droid as she sobbed. Several of the people around her made worried noises.

"Thell, what's wrong?" He sounded desperate. "Answer me."

"He... He's gone," she cried, digging her forehead into her hand. "I think he's still alive but we got separated. I tried, I tried so hard, Din."

He was silent for so long she thought they had lost the connection, but on the other end she heard labored breathing.

"Din?" She asked quietly.

"I'll be there in a few hours," he said, and the line went silent. The R3 unit whirred softly as Thell slumped, digging her face into her hands and sobbing. She felt the few people crowd around her, touching her shoulders gently before helping her back to her feet. The older woman from before had her arm looped around her's, patting gently and smiling with such great warmth towards her.

She sat with the woman, relaxing in the warm sunlight, not talking but getting to know her just the same. Thell let the sun warm her back, soothing her injuries for the time being. There was only so much the healer of the village could do while she waited. She waited and watched the children in the village and ate strange colored broth that made her sick to her stomach.

She only heard the familiar whirr of the Razor Crest entering the atmosphere as the sun was setting. The golden sun cast rays of pink and orange, reflecting off the metal of the ship. It circled in on the village, descending just beyond the treeline.

Legs trembling, Thell rose to her feet, hand braced against the old women's arm. She felt her tug on her, just softly to get her attention. Thell looked back at her, at the deep amber eyes that told so much. She raised a hand, pressing a finger to her lips and then onto Thell's forehead. She blinked, wanting to understand the gesture but knowing she couldn't ask even if she tried. Instead, she dipped her head, offering the woman a kind smile and squeezing her hand.

She led Thell out into the wide crowd of people whose direction was locked where the Razor Crest had landed. The old woman guided her through the throng, the villagers separating and looking at her in wonder while she limped closer. The woman brought her to an open spot in the crowd, where she could look out beyond the lines of houses and barriers of trees.

As soon as she saw him, even the small glint of Beskar in the forest, Thell dashed towards him with one last glance at the woman who had taken care of her. One hand clutching the bruise on her side, she stumbled past the villagers, gently pushing them out of the way.

 _"Kriff_... Mando!" Thell called, remembering to use his fake name.

She shoved past the few remaining stragglers, pain screaming at her from her wounds and bruises, her eyes blurring. She ran harder, breath coming in painful pants as she limped to her Mandalorian. She had just come out into the clearing where she could see him clearly, sprinting towards her. Pain shot up her leg, and she tripped, hands smacking against dirt. Wincing, she heaved herself up, just as Din came running towards her.

The pressure of the Beskar hitting her own chest would leave a bruise, she was sure of it, but it didn't compare to the joy and safety she felt being reunited with him. Upon impact, he nearly threw her sideways, colliding with her so hard she had to dig her heels into the ground. Thell collapsed against him, her arms trembling from the effort it took to keep herself wrapped against him. Sobbing, she clawed at his shoulders, fingers squeezing his tunic as they both dropped to their knees. For moments, her shaking arms threatened to let go, but the hold around her back was secure, and he tugged her closer across his knees. He was even stronger than she remembered, cradling her head with one arm while the other hung across her back. She could feel the lip of his helmet dig into her hairline as she pushed her face into the tunic on his collarbone.

"I, I was so scared, Din-"

He sounded like he had been to hell and back. "It's okay."

She shook against him, feeling him squeeze her tighter. "I-I thought you had been killed, I thought something had gone wrong."

"Thell," Din said softly beside her. "It's okay. I have you."

She suddenly leaned back, letting her hands rest against the Beskar steel of his helmet. She had never wished so badly to see his face, to run her hands over his soft cheeks and see those eyes she had been dreaming of for months. She wanted to kiss him again, despite the guilt she felt for telling him she loved him.

He didn't deserve it, not at that point. She should have waited for the perfect moment, and it gnawed at her soul.

And the tears ran fast.

"I had the kid," Thell sobbed. "We were together in this place and we almost got out but I lost him. I went back to l-look for him and they grabbed me out of nowhere." She hung her head, letting her scalp rest against the Beskar chest plates.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye. I-I'm so sorry, Din. I-"

"Hold on, tell me on the ship."

He wasted no time in scooping her into his arms, holding her tight with one arm slung under her back. Even seeing the ship again calmed her soul, even though she knew Grogu wouldn't be on it. She would be looking for him everywhere on the ship: his seat, his own bed, the bundle of her blankets that lay on the floor. Her heart ached with sorrow as soon as she thought about him.

Her hand was clutching tight to Din's arm, so hard she thought she might break it. But he walked with her steadily, up the ramp and helping her into the sleeping pod.

"I'll be right back," he said before disappearing up into the cockpit.

Thell nestled her nose against the blankets in Din's bed, the ones that were thrown around haphazardly. How was Din, really? Had he fought sleep every night because he knew they weren't there with him? The thoughts wracked her brain, and she sobbed in agony against the blankets.

Din was by her side in moments, hoisting himself up into the bed beside her and gathering her in his arms. As soon as she felt him, Thell flinched, actually remembering that he was truly there and she wasn't just imagining it.

"Thell, stop," Din said softly.

She hadn't realized why he had said it until she raised her head, and realized she had been pushing him away from her, with more force than she had meant.

"I..." Thell started, shaking her head. "I'm sorry..."

She was still clutching his arm tight and suddenly released, causing him to look down at her.

"What happened to you? You're shaking like crazy... and Dank Farrik, you look as pale as a ghost, Thell."

Thell trembled, turning her face away. "I was s-so scared, Din."

"You're safe," he replied, holding her head. "I won't hurt you."

Thell's lip trembled. "But... they did! They did hurt me!"

Even in her state, she noticed the way he went rigid. He was staring down at her through the visor, one hand supporting her neck.

"Where?" He asked, but it didn't sound like the Din she knew. He sounded angry, even with just one word.

Thell inhaled shakily, swallowing as she peeled back the blanket.

"Here," she said softly, pointing to the injuries on her arms. She showed him the dried blood on her scalp where she had been knocked out by the butt of a blaster, and told him of the marks and remnants of the electrocution rod on her thigh. Along with that were a mixture of yellowed bruises along her arms and legs.

He seemed to space out, staying silent for a long time after she told him.

"I..." she started, gripping his hand. "I was trying to protect Grogu." She sobbed again, eyes squeezing shut and digging her forehead into his knee. "I-I tried to get to him, I did," she sobbed. "I couldn't-"

"Thell," Din said, somewhat sternly to make her look at him. "It's okay."

Her lip trembled. "B-but... Grogu. I-I turned around and he was gone... I left him there, all by himself."

"We'll get him back."

"How?"

Din paused. "... I'll figure something out."

Thell shook, shaking her head, until she felt Din's hand reach out to her face.

"Let me help you, _kar'ta._ "

It warmed her immensely to hear the nickname, the one still unknown to her. So Thell obliged, sitting up in the cot while Din gathered the precise medical supplies. He sat down in front of her hanging legs, just even with her sternum so he could look up at her.

"M-my leg," Thell said softly, touching the fabric across her thigh. She had always been modest, never showing too much of her skin unless she needed to. And in the case of Din, and only ever having seen his hands, she felt nervous. But like he always did, he seemed to sense her anxiety, moving to squeeze her knee gently.

"This isn't anything it doesn't need to be," he said. Thell blinked back at him, mulling over his words and the gentle grip on her knee.

"O-okay," she breathed.

He had just raised his fingers above her leg when Thell flinched, catching movement from the corner of her eye. Din sensed it too, shooting to his feet with his hand resting on his blaster.

It was the young woman who Thell had been with earlier, standing at the curved opening of the cargo hold. Her eyes skimmed back and forth between them, trying to send an unknown message.

Thell put her hand on Din's arm. "It's okay. She's the one who's been taking care of me."

"What does she want?"

"... I don't know."

The woman stepped closer so she could start speaking to them, and Din was watching her carefully, back held straight.

"She says we can stay in the houses for as long as we need, while you recover."

Thell's brow twiched. "How do you know that?"

"The helmet, it... It translated it for me." He turned back to her. "I need to see if I can find where you were kept. This would give me a chance to... if we stayed."

Thell blinked, amazed by his courage. She could never imagine going back in a place like that.

"Yeah... okay." When Din turned around to speak to the woman, Thell gripped his arm.

"I... I want to stay with you. In the same house, I..." Thell shuddered, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I need to be close to you."

Din turned to face her fully, clad in the armor she had missed so much, not missing the gentle way he leaned down, cupping her face between his gloved hands.

"I'm not leaving you... not again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading and interacting with my story, honestly comments of any kind just make my day. i'm so very grateful for you all for continuing to support my work... love ya'll!! <3
> 
> also, the next chapter is definitely one i wrote making up for the last few... so look out for it! :)


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Radiance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no content warnings for this chapter except major fluff... like a lot. just fluff.

“So what’s your plan?”

Thell watched the Mandalorian move across the room, the spacious circular house the villagers had been kind enough to lend to them. It was higher up then the others, offering a view of the setting sun over the sea of trees on a small back porch.

It was mostly devoid of furniture, but the ones that did inhabit it surprised Thell by their quality. A single, crooked table that Din had laid their belongings and medical equipment out on, and a single large bed with stitched blankets. They were colorful, like the other ones, scratchy on her skin but warm enough during the night.

It had been the first thing she had seen when they had walked in; she just wondered what Din’s reaction was under that helmet. They were staying overnight, she knew that, but it’s not like they had ever shared the same _bed_ before. It seemed large enough so that there was space between them, but Thell tried not to worry. She had fallen asleep beside him before, against his shoulder in the firelight on Naboo.

This was just different. With pillows and scratchy blankets and just the two of them.

It was oddly quiet without the kid, and Din had barely mentioned him as soon as they started moving their stuff into the house. She knew he was distraught, she could feel it in the way he had hugged her when they reunited and the silence that followed after every conversation.

Seeing him again was strange, like it had been years. He still looked exactly as she remembered, all muscle and height and intimidating power. She knew the man underneath, yes, the one that was inexplicably kind and soft spoken. But he had yet to mention the words she had spoken to him right before she had run off with Grogu, and it haunted her.

She still hadn’t told him the details of everything that had happened to her and Grogu in the base, but she planned to. She needed to. The ghosts of the stormtroopers and the admiral were haunting her around every corner, and her wounds stung with every breath and step she took forward.

However, he had treated her wounds as best as he could with the supplies from the Razor Crest. It wasn’t perfect, and she knew she had a long road to go, but in some ways, the memories of her experience hurt more than her physical reminders. The electrocution on her thigh still bothered her when she stood, her entire body was sore. Din had had to help her into the room, leaving periodically to get their things from the Razor Crest.

She hadn’t seen herself in weeks, and wandered into the fresher to see if there was a mirror. She dreaded it when she did end up finding one, only to stumble back in shock when she actually looked at herself.

Her copper hair had grown out, just fraying a bit below her collarbones. Her hair was matted in several different places and sticking up in a funny way. Her brown, bloodshot eyes were surrounded by dark circles, making her look much older than she actually was. And her skin was paler than ever, bruised in several places along her face and neck, and even more across her arms. Her cheeks were even slightly sunken in, and she could still see how she had suffered from the dehydration and abuse.

She didn’t want to cry; she had never taken too much pride in her appearance. But something about seeing herself in this state, half dead nearly a week ago, recovering from a series of tortures, made her look like she was barely hanging on.

Did Din care? He never made many comments about her physical appearance, but she wondered if he was put off by her now. Over the past months, she would catch him glancing at her when he thought she wouldn’t notice, or his gaze would linger when she walked in. Either way, she wondered if he actually cared. She showered anyway, feeling refreshed but still haunted by the girl that stared back at her in the mirror.

“Tomorrow morning. I’ll stay the night and dress your wounds again before I leave. Leave early in the morning and scope out the land. I’ll try to find where you were kept and infiltrate it to find the kid...,” he spoke, as his gaze faltered to fall out the window, towards the glows of the setting sun. “This place is good. Safe. They’ll take care of you.”

Thell nodded, slumping against the bed. “I know... I, um, I just want you to be careful. There were a lot of troopers in that base, Din.”

He didn’t turn in her direction. “I can handle it. I’ve done this before.”

She knew he had, but it still worried her... going into that base where she had been tortured, where Grogu was hiding out or being kept.

“Why aren’t you leaving now?” Thell asked, even though she didn’t want him too. “If you have all your equipment, why don’t you just find him now?”

Din paused. “... I was looking for you guys for two weeks, Thell. I... I need to be here.”

Thell’s heart melted. “Okay.”

“These people... I’m glad they were here to get you.”

Thell’s eyes fluttered. “Me too... They saved my life.”

“The woman from earlier told me about you.”

Thell sat back, sinking against the pillows. “... What did she say?”

Din drew away from the window, removing his jetpack and setting it aside as he hovered beside the bed. His gaze wasn’t on her, but trailing along the blankets, like he was studying them.

“She said you cried in your sleep every night, that you weren’t stable or fully awake until today. You were mostly slipping in and out of consciousness... you yelled a lot. She said that you almost died once they brought you back to the village, but you kept fighting. Fighting for days, Thell. Almost a week.”

He turned suddenly, coming around the other side of the bed where she sat and kneeling down, hand gripping her’s.

“You talked in your sleep, but they couldn’t understand you. But she told me you kept repeating Grogu’s name.... And mine.”

He sounded breathless towards the end, and Thell ducked her head, feeling embarrassed and not knowing why. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, not meeting his stare. “I know you said you wanted your name kept between just us.”

“I don’t care,” he said suddenly, surprising her. Din sounded so sure of himself, like he always did. She fluttered her gaze back over to him, tears threatening to spill. After being worried and in pain for so long, it felt unfair to have such a great sense of security and peace when Grogu was still lost. She bit her lip to keep a sob down, rubbing one hand over her eye.

“ _Kar’ta_ ,” she heard Din say softly, edging closer to her.

“He was so scared, Din!” She yelled, sobs pouring from her throat. “He was so scared and I couldn’t do anything. All I did was lose him to those... _people._ And now he’s probably more scared than ever and alone and I shouldn’t be the one that’s sitting here right now! It’s unfair that we’ve been protecting him all this time, and I just made a stupid mistake and _didn’t try harder for him_.”

Her fist was clenched so tight in the blanket that her knuckles went sore, the anger coming off of her in waves. But Din, as thoughtful and careful as ever, turned her face back towards him. The sunset was showering glows of yellow and red on his armor, making him look angelic so close up.

“Thell, listen to me, okay?” he said quietly, his modulator crackling. “I need you to tell me what happened, as much as you can. You can’t just let it all sit inside of you and eat you away...” He paused, his grip leaving her chin and moving to her unharmed leg. “You’re different than when I left you... you’re scared. You jump at any loud sound. You’re constantly looking around like someone’s going to come after you. You’re acting like a completely different person. You look...”

Thell clenched her jaw. “Hideous, I know,” she shot back, nearing anger. “I’m covered in bruises, I hadn’t taken a shower in two weeks, and I was on the verge of death for days. I, I feel like I’m actually going _crazy_ because I keep seeing and hearing things that aren’t actually there, and I feel like I’ve completely lost who I was before any of this happened.”

She was crying again, and the Mandalorian was staring up at her through his visor silently.

“I, I don’t know how to come out of this,” she whispered shakily. “ _Look at me._ I don’t want anyone to look at me... _I_ don’t even want to look at myself!”

“You think I care about that?” He sounded stern, but not angry, and it caught Thell off guard. “I just care that you’re _alive_. You look distressed. That’s all I was going to say... I still think you’re...” Din paused, like he was searching for the right word and feeling awkward while doing it. “You’re as radiant as the night I met you, Thell.”

Slightly embarrassed by her exclamations and his honesty, Thell shook her head, gripping his hand tight. “So much happened there. I... I feel so broken, Din.”

“Then let me help you.”

Under the canopy of night, with nothing to guide her except the familiarity of the room, she told him everything. She curled under the scratchy blankets, complaining briefly before Din nudged one from the Razor Crest into her hands. Her heart warmed at the action, even more so when Din edged closer to her, pressing his knee against her thigh as she lay sideways on the pillows. He was sitting up, as far as she could tell, and periodically, she would hear him remove a piece of the armor after he had secured the house. It would clatter to the floor softly and she would continue speaking like nothing had happened.

Her nerves was rising, as she was sure he was too. They hadn’t sat like this before, so vulnerable after everything that happened between them. And he had never removed the armor in front of her.

She told him everything, of how she had taken immense pain for the chance to stay with the kid, and how he had saved her, despite the risk of it costing both of them. Of her initial escape with Grogu and second capture. Of the possible rape she could have endured had she not been taken away, and the humiliation brought to her. Of the pain and torture she had faced and the drugs that were still effecting her system. And of being thrown out like she was nothing, left to die on the bank of a stream in the middle of nowhere and falling in and out of a frightening daze for the next several days.

He didn’t say anything for a long time, only gently squeezing her hand when she struggled to share something. He was never adamant or rude about anything, and it soothed Thell’s heart to be in his company. Even when she cried, or dug her face into the pillow to quiet her sobs, he was there, hand raised to caress through her hair.

Thell wasn’t sure exactly what he was doing, except when he finally pulled himself close to her, and she raised a hand to his shoulder, stunned as she realized he had removed the pauldron. Her breath hitched in her throat; it was hard to see in the darkness of the room. She could barely see Din, not even a silhouette. He had closed any curtains in the house, enclosing them in darkness. Beyond them, in the village, most people had gone to sleep, and all she could hear was the soft chirp of crickets in the forest nearby. For once, it actually felt like they were alone, even missing the kid.

Thell did miss him desperately, his soft coos while he fell asleep and the strange texture of his furry head. She just wished she knew if he was safe or not, if he missed them as much as they did.

Din’s hand on her face brought her back to reality, to a reality that she adored and had missed dearly. He was so close now she could feel his warm breath on her face every time he exhaled... His breath.

Thell nearly shot up, but restrained herself, instead moving her hand down to his elbow and tugging.

“Din, your helmet,” she whispered, worried for him.

His reply was soft, tender, like honey in her ears. “I know... it’s okay.”

“Are you sure...?” Thell pressed.

Her mind raced. When had he taken off his helmet? Was he still wearing the chest plates?

He answered without words, taking her free hand in his hand and guiding it upwards. Stubble from his jaw pricked her fingers, and Thell flinched, surprised by the action. But Din was as gentle as ever, taking his time and allowing her fingertips to touch his face in her own time.

The last, and first, time she had touched his face was the night they had been split up. She wasn’t as nervous now, surprised by his actions, but thankful nonetheless. Din seemed calmer too, more confident in himself, and Thell’s heart swelled with pride.

She let her other hand wander for her, feeling him shudder as her fingers glided to press against his chest. Soft material met her hand, devoid of the cold Beskar. Thell wanted to cry; he felt more human without the armor, warm to her touch. She moved her hand up his chest, marveling in the feeling of even the cloth covering his skin. It was more than what she was used to.

Din was different then when she had left him with the kid. He talked slower, more thoughtfully, but his mind always seemed far away. Thell knew it was because of Grogu, and she couldn’t imagine the ache in his soul knowing he was gone. But he was also softer, closer to her than he had ever been and becoming more open. His barriers were coming down, maybe because he was so distraught, maybe because of what she had shouted to him right before they were separated.

Whatever it was, Thell was equally grateful and nervous. She didn’t want to make him feel pressured to do anything he didn’t want to, so she tried to communicate that through touching him gently.

She let her hand glide up past his collarbone, just brushing her fingers against the skin of his neck. He exhaled shakily, head leaning to rest against her’s. She could feel the way his hair tickled the side of her face, how affectionate he became when she leaned against him in turn. Nose digging into her hair, he inhaled deeply, making Thell smile despite the tears she still held behind her eyes. She nestled her hand into his hair, relishing in the feeling of how soft it was. She had forgotten, after all the time. The last time had been weeks ago on that other planet, under the firelight when he had kissed her for the time. She still couldn’t believe it, that after five months of knowing him, of learning to accept her own feelings, she was actually getting to touch him. It felt surreal.

Thell scrunched her fingers in his hair, making him shudder when she finally rolled closer, tucking her arm around his neck to hug him. It was an awkward fit, both lying on their sides, but she needed it. She needed to feel him, hold him close enough so all she smelled and felt was Din. It chased away the nightmares that haunted her, the ones that scared her enough to never want to leave Din’s arms again. She couldn’t stop touching him, prodding her nose against his collarbone. His hands were the same, always moving, always gentle, like trying to memorize every bit of her. She sensed the same desperation from him, the need to be close to someone. Holding each other after they both believed the other was dead.

He finally returned her hug, arm sliding gently over her waist and pressing to her back to hold her as her legs fidgeted between his. She even felt him drag the blanket up, warming them against the cold and the rest of the world. He was much larger than her, shoulders enveloping her frame so he basically cradled her against him. He dug his face into her neck, his nose brushing her throat. She could feel the scratch of stubble against her skin.

They didn’t kiss, content enough to explore the other’s face with their hands, fingertips on skin in the darkness. Eventually Din spoke, his usually gravelly voice cracking in half as he breathed into her ear.

“I’m so sorry, I never wanted any of this to happen to you.”

“It’s not your fault,” she whispered back, running a hand down his jaw.

“I should have been there.” His voice was breaking quickly, making Thell hug him closer.” I could have protected you and stopped this from ever happening.”

“It’s okay,” she whispered, rubbing up and down his back. For such an intimidating man, it surprised Thell time after time when he would break like this. And this was the worst thus far.

“I thought you were both dead,” he choked out, and Thell swore she felt tears drip down her own neck. Tears that weren’t her own.

“I’m not,” Thell swore. “I’m right here... and Grogu’s okay. He’ll be okay.”

“You’re hurt, you’re so hurt,” he sobbed against her neck, and Thell broke, crying against his shirt. “I’m so sorry, _kar’ta.”_

Thell shook her head against him. “Don’t be. You came back for me. We found each other. Just... just let me hold you.”

She did, rubbing circles on his shoulder blade as he laid with her. It felt like hours passed, or minutes, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she was warm in Din’s arms, his nose brushing her forehead every few minutes when he kissed her head. She would squeeze him tighter, burying her face into his neck and whispering tender words to remind him that she was actually there. It was healing, comforting him after he had done so much for her. In a way, she wondered if he had suffered as much these past two weeks, just in a different way. She knew his heart ached for the kid; he didn’t need to voice it out loud.

“Did you mean what you said?” He asked softly, sometime in the middle of the night. “The night we got separated.”

It flashed in her mind like a burning star, shouting that she loved the Mandalorian in his language seconds before an explosion sent them apart.

_She swiveled back to Din, just a few yards away._

_“Din!” She called, catching his attention._

_His eyeline caught her’s. “What are you still doing here? Go, Thell!”_

_She didn’t know why she did it. She just knew she had to, if she was never going to see him again._

_“Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum!” Thell shouted, letting the smile grow on her face and the relief burst like a bubble in her chest._

She had been so confused then, scared that she would never see him again and tell him the truth. But now, after being taken by the Empire, tortured, forced to choose between her own safety and the wellbeing of Din and Grogu, she knew. She knew the moment she had heard his voice through the speaker on that droid.

“I don’t know,” she responded honestly. “I, I didn’t know then, is what I mean...”

“... Do you even know what those words mean?” Din asked. “What it constitutes?”

Thell shrugged, although he couldn’t see her. “I have a vague idea.”

“It... It means to know someone. Knowing someone, a Mandalorian, is very deep... intense. Knowing someone is more like a promise, a vow you propose to them for life.”

“So... like marriage?”

“In a way,” Din breathed. “In Mandalorian culture, it’s different. There are spouses, _riduurs,_ but most are just meant to grow the Mandalorian population, not for true affection. Foundlings... Children. They are one the most important things to the Watch, much less so than actually having true feelings for someone.” Din paused for a long moment, his fingers skimming the top of her hand. “I’ve never liked that ideology.”

Thell swallowed. “What does it mean to you, then?”

“I don’t know...” Din paused. “I’ve never had the opportunity to think about it... what about you? What about now?”

Maybe it was because she was desperate to know if he loved her too, or maybe it was because she hadn’t seen him in two weeks, amidst the pain and torture she had endured.

“Now... I mean every word. Every last one, a hundred times over.”” Thell promised, and she knew she had never felt anything more true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, thank you for reading and loving my story!! i have loved hearing the feedback from you guys, it makes my whole year!! <3 :)
> 
> also, a special little thing... the link to my spotify playlist for I'll Do the Same! i listen to it everytime I write a new chapter to get in the mood and i update it every few days... just thought you guys might enjoy. :)
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6OAphKgYw9MOtYCHfnvRds


	21. Chapter Twenty: Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no content warnings for this chapter. :)

_Thell swallowed. “What does it mean to you, then?”_

_“I don’t know...” Din paused. “I’ve never had the opportunity to think about it... what about you? What about now?”_

_Maybe it was because she was desperate to know if he loved her too, or maybe it was because she hadn’t seen him in two weeks, amidst the pain and torture she had endured._

_“Now... I mean every word. Every last one, a hundred times over.”” Thell promised, and she knew she had never felt anything more true._

Din whimpered softly and bent forward, cupping the back of her head and pressing his lips to her’s, catching the sob that escaped his throat. Thell weeped against him, hand shaking as she cradled his head, running her fingers through his hair. Parting her lips with his, he shifted against the bed, freeing her other hand and letting it wander down his back. It felt like she hadn’t kissed him in years, deprived of it like oxygen or food, and he was kissing her back in the same way, making small, desperate sounds as his hands cupped her cheeks, running up and down her face.

He was crying; Thell could tell when a drop splattered on her cheek, but she made no motion to wipe it away. She didn’t want to embarrass him if he felt vulnerable. Instead, she pushed against him, getting him to lay halfway on his back and break the kiss. She moved her hands up his face, thumbs swiping under his eyes and leaning forward to kiss away his tears. Stubbled scratched against her chin, but she didn’t mind. She could only gently rub her nose along the bridge of his, gifting him with several soft kisses on his lips that left her head spinning. She could feel him smiling, despite the tears, when she would press her cheek to his. His hands traveled to her sides, running up and down and pulling her forward to kiss him again. He tasted like the salt from their intermingled tears, and smelled like the pine trees outside and the mild soap from the Razor Crest.

At one point she pulled away and pressed her cheek to his again, feeling his stubble scratch her face.

“I like kissing you,” she whispered.

And he chuckled below her, deep in his throat and vibrating across her chest. Thell wanted to hear him laugh like that for the rest of her life.

“I do, too.”

“You know, when I was younger and I would see someone kissing, I thought it was the grossest thing,” Thell admitted. “But now... It’s not too bad. Not with you.”

His hands came up, rough pads of his fingers running down her face and jaw to only pull her forward again.

After a while of soft, slow kissing, and after their share of tears had vanished, Din pulled Thell close, letting her rest her head in the crook of his shoulder while he cuddled her. He let one arm slide under her neck, cupping her head so he could tangle his fingers in her hair. He was oddly quiet, even more so than usual.

“You okay?” She whispered, tracing a finger around his covered collarbone.

He huffed above her ear. “I feel like I should be asking you that.”

“You just haven’t said anything in, like... an hour,” Thell added.

“Well, I was too busy kissing you, _kar’ta_. Guess I’m not too shabby, right?”

Thell smiled. She had missed this side of him. ‘“Not too bad... I wasn’t bad, was I?”

She felt him shake his head, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. “Never... But I’m okay I’m glad we could, uh, be like this together.”

“Me too... But I miss him,” Thell admitted. “I feel like part of me is gone.”

“I’m gonna get him back, Thell,” he whispered huskily above her head.

She traced a small pattern over the shirt covering his chest. “I know you will... Will you say goodbye to me before you go? Just for a minute?”

A hand caressed through her hair, brushing away locks of hair that had fallen past her eyes. “Always.”

She squeezed him tight. “Thank you for staying with me.”

Content, even without the kid, Thell closed her eyes, drifting off into the darkness. She fell asleep to Din whispering seven words in her ear, seven words that would stay with her forever.

“I’m going to bring our kid home.”

Thell woke in the middle of the night, feeling cold as the blanket had slipped from her shoulder. She flipped over groggily, rustling the sheets beneath her as she searched for the blanket in the dark, catching a glimpse of a silhouette on the other edge of the bed.

At first she thought it was just another illusion of the nightmares that seemed to drift into her reality, and tried to calm her hectic heartbeat. But after she slowed her breathing, her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

Din was sitting upright, his back to her, and Thell could only just make out his silhouette against the glow of the moon. Her heart seemed to catch in her throat as she blinked, focusing on him until her vision cleared. She had never seen even the shape of him without his helmet or armor, and he looked smaller than she had thought. Still muscular, and larger than her, but his shoulders sloped in gentle lines, and there was a certain softness about how his hair curled around his neck and wisps fell across his ears. She let her gaze linger for a moment longer before she looked down, averting her eyes. She knew he didn’t want to risk breaking the Creed, and she had too much respect for him to do it herself.

So she turned over on her back, looking the other way and closing her eyes. She tried to go back to sleep, acting like she was just readjusting, but the guilt gnawed at her.

“Din?” She whispered.

He was just as quiet. “Thell.”

“I, I’m really sorry, I turned over and didn’t realize you were awake. I... I saw the back of your head, but not your face. Just your hair, and your shoulders.”

To her relief and greatest surprise, Din spoke softly, barely moving on the bed. “It’s okay.”

“Are you alright?” She whispered, scrunching the blanket under her hands.

“.... I’ve never felt more alone then when I left you and the kid.” His voice sounded broken, and Thell fought back tears.

“I thought I was never going to see you again... especially when they drugged me. I-I kept seeing you.”

She could see him breathe heavily from the corner of her eye. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

Thell curled her arms around her chest. “I’m sorry you were by yourself... I can’t imagine what that was like for you.”

“Cold... it was cold.”

Thell’s stomach dropped, and she flipped over, blindly searching for his arm. Reaching his elbow, she squeezed lightly.

“Come back to bed, Din,” she said. “You don’t need to do this to yourself.”

He didn’t move; she kept sneaking glances at him before she tugged on his arm.

“Din,” she pressed.

He took a long moment, sitting silently before turning towards her and climbing under the blanket she had pulled back. The mattress shifted under his weight as he curled up beside her, pressing a swift kiss to the corner of her mouth as she wrapped an arm around him.

Thell nuzzled at his neck sleepily, noticing how tense he had become. She carded a hand through the front of his hair, hearing him sigh softly and slouch against her touch. He was still tense after a few moments, so Thell readjusted, letting her other hand nestle in her hair. She ran her hand over his head, letting him slump against her neck. She pulled the blanket over their shoulders, just enough to where they shared the same breath.

“You won’t have to be cold again,” Thell whispered. “I’ll always be here... I promise.”

. . . .

Din never fell asleep.

He should have been content. He felt safe enough anyway, curled up right next to the woman he had grown to care for so much. Her head on his shoulder, breathing softly in her sleep while her arm lay limp over his stomach.

He wasn’t used to this, the constant physical contact. It’s not something he had ever wanted. But after this, he couldn’t imagine not having it again. Thell was soft, and irresistibly kind. She was gentle but brave where he was not. He didn’t have much experience with women, no less the warm feelings he got everytime he looked at her. Everytime she held the kid or sang to him or risked her life for the both of them.

So he let his hand rest on her head, gently running his fingers through her hair, gentle enough not to wake her. He knew she had been through so much; she had told him everything herself.

But all Din could see when he closed his eyes was the kid. It had been that way for two weeks, except Thell had been taken out of those images and right into his arms. The moment he had seen her running towards him in the village, he had wanted to rip off his mask right then and there, just to be able to look at her with his own eyes in the daylight.

She shifted against him, whimpering in her sleep and clutching her fingers into his shirt. It wasn’t the first time she had done this during the night; at one point she had woken up screaming and nearly jumped out of bed, shocked to see Din there with her. It had taken him a solid hour to calm her enough so she could fall back asleep, kissing her shoulders while she trembled against him.

He despised every minute of it, watching her suffer for hours while she should have been sleeping soundly. All he wanted was for her to feel safe again... it would be a process they would have to go through together, he knew that. He was consistently amazed by her courage and determination, taking everything they could give her to ensure the kid’s safety. She was not the same girl he met that night on Bespin, shaking from head to foot with the kid in her arms.

So he kissed her forehead, nuzzling his nose on her face to comfort her and running a hand down her spine until she had quieted again, letting loose of the hold on his shirt.

Morning came and Din could only watch as the sun’s glows began to make their way through the curtains, painting the walls in a gold aura. He still hadn’t replaced his helmet; he just wanted as long she could give him, looking at her with his own eyes as the sun shone on her face. It turned her short copper hair into flames, bright against the dark material of his shirt. He just wished he could see her eyes, the brown ones that reminded him of his own, the ones he had only ever seen through the mask.

So he lingered, feeling like a creep for staring so long at her sleeping face. But with her hair fanning out across his shoulder, her nose nestled in his shirt, he didn’t want to move. Sleeping next to Thell felt not only like sleeping next to the woman he had grown so fond of, but also his best friend, his greatest companion.

He didn’t want to leave; he would have rather stayed in the warmth of the bed with Thell all day.

But he needed the kid. They both did. He had a mission to complete, after all.

When Din caressed Thell’s face to wake her, he swiftly moved past the bruises, careful not to hurt her. He knew she was more self conscious than she had ever been, but Din thought he had never seen or known someone so magnificent.

. . . .

Din delivered as promised, gently kissing her cheek to wake her up early the next morning. Thell could see light beyond her closed eyelids, so she kept them closed out of honor for him. She could feel him leaning over her, one arm braced over her waist.

“Hi, _kar’ta,”_ he whispered before warmly kissing her cheek again, making Thell smile, still half asleep.

She felt his lips on her’s and kissed him back briefly before he pulled away. She rose, opening her arms so she could hug him close and wrap her arms around his neck. He reciprocated almost immediately, leaning into her with one arm braced on the headboard. She could feel the Beskar chestplates strapped across him, but he still lacked the helmet. She opened her eyes then, when her chin was resting over his shoulder and the only thing she could see were the faint wisps of chocolate brown hair curling around his neck.

Outside, the sun was peeking just beyond the trees, setting the world aglow. It was a new day, a new opportunity for the both of them. Thell squeezed him tighter, holding the back of his head.

“Please be careful,” she whispered, kissing his hair. She felt him lean his head on her’s, almost swaying against her grip. “Bring him back, Din.”

“I will,” he promised back. “I’ll radio you when I can. I’ll be back before the sun sets.”

Din pulled away, taking his warmth with him and placing a comlink in her hand. Thell listened to himself shuffle around until she heard the front door shut, and the house went quiet again. She sat cross legged on the bed, running her hands on the sheets where Din had been sleeping just minutes ago. They were still warm, and when she raised the blanket to her face, she could smell him; metal and a hint of musk, like the pine trees outside.

Thell didn’t move much of the day, resting on the porch outside to let the sun wash over her. Her injuries had improved immensely since the day before thanks to Din’s quick thinking and the advanced medical equipment on the Razor Crest. The same young woman from the village came by a few times, bringing food with her and keeping Thell company for hours on end.

Despite her company, and Din’s promises, the flashes of memories still came to her, ones of pure terror and fear. She would slink off, wrapping herself under the blanket and pulling it to her nose, pretending like Din was actually there when she could only smell him on the blanket. She knew she had had a restless night; it came in blurs periodically throughout the day. Sometimes they were flashes of fake images from her time in the Empire base, surrounded by throngs of stormtroopers and that admiral with the greasy hair. Other times they were actual memories from the previous night, when she would shoot up trembling and quivering beneath the blankets. Although the air in the room and the bed she shared with Din was warm, Thell felt as if she had been dipped in a basin of ice.

Even in her haze of fear, she could feel the bed shifting beneath her, the blanket shifting slightly across her legs as Din rose beside her. In all his quiet strength, he held her until she had cried herself back to sleep, warm in his arms and forehead pressed into her hair.

Her heart ached when Din didn’t radio her comlink for the first several hours, the worry setting in, and waited on the back porch, hoping to possibly see a glimpse of his Beskar and the kid’s floppy ears. She missed Grogu desperately, still feeling the guilt at leaving him gnaw at her. She knew it wasn’t inherently her fault, Din had assured her of that, but it still racked at her being.

She just hoped the kid was okay. The last time she had seen him, he had been exhausted from saving her life and stumbling through the air ducts of that base. Even then, he had been so brave, putting himself in danger to save her.

It was only midday when the commlink beeped against her wrist and Thell nearly fell off the bed. She fumbled with the comm, holding it close to her face as it crackled.

“Thell, can you hear me?” Just the sound of his voice calmed her immensely.

“ _Kriff_... Yeah, I can,” she said quickly, a bit breathless. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he responded. “I found the base.”

Thell’s heart leapt. “Really?”

“I think so. I wanted to call before I went inside.”

Thell paused, her hand dropping slightly. “... Are you...”

“I’m not saying goodbye.”

Pushing a sob down her throat, Thell said, “Me either.... Just be safe, please. And bring the kid home... I love you, Din.”

Maybe the connection cut out as she had said it, or he hadn’t heard her, because Din didn’t respond right away. Whatever the case, it bothered her immensely, because while Thell had admitted to loving him, or rather knowing him, in Mando’a, it wasn’t the same as saying it in English. When loving someone meant more than just knowing a Mandalorian.

Instead, Thell pulled the comm closer to her ear, feeling the regret gnaw at her chest. She should have waited, should have told him in person.

“I’ll try to be back by tonight,” was the only reply he gave, and then the commlink went silent.

Groaning, Thell threw herself back onto the pillows, in the process smacking her hand on something hard.

_“Dank Farrik!”_

Yanking her head back, Thell realized she had left her vambraces sitting on Din’s pillow, gleaming like stars in the sunlight. She picked them up carefully, running her fingers over the freshly painted metal. She was grateful they had let her keep them in the base, and hadn’t stripped her of yet another thing that she loved.

They signified her father, Theldar Avan, and everything he had done and fought for. For the Rebellion and the freedom of all of those that the Empire had stolen from. She was one of those people, her father lost to a cause she had only grown up hearing about. They also signified the fact that she came from Mandalorian blood, possibly the last of her Clan. Maybe Din didn’t consider her a true Mandalorian; she didn’t know. She hadn’t grown up knowing the customs or traditions... but what did being a true Mandalorian mean, anyway?

She remembered Bo-Katan’s word on Trask, where she had told Thell the story of the Children of the Watch, the cult that Din belonged to. She had told her honor to family was one of the most respected values of any Mandalorian.

Grogu was definitely Din’s family. Even if he had to return him somewhere, or let him choose his own path one day, Din would always be his father. Thell knew from the moment she had seen them together that they were close, probably closer than the Mandalorian had ever intended.

Was she...?

She couldn’t let the thoughts linger for long, though, because she heard a distant knock in the house. It was too early for it to be Din, unless he had been lying about finding the base, which was unlikely. Of all things, Din was not a liar.

Strapping the brace around her leg that Din had given her, Thell pushed herself up from the bed, grunting at the effort. She had barely moved in hours, and the muscles were tight between her joints. She hobbled to the door anyway, sliding it open and coming face to face with the older woman from earlier, the one that had come to her in the woods.

“Oh, hi,” Thell said softly, trying her best to give a small smile.

She was extending a small basket of food to Thell, one with those same fruits she had seen the day before. Thell looked her up and down before gingerly taking the basket in her own arms.

“Thank you,” Thell said, dipping her head and hoping the woman would understand. But she only offered her a small smile and went on her way, leaving Thell alone in the house again.

It was odd, being alone again. After her mother had died, and her friends had all but scattered, Thell had been friendless in Darand’s mansion. She was free to be by herself for hours into the day, and part of her enjoyed the silence.

But it was different now. She dreaded the quiet.

So she carried the basket to the porch outside, where she could sit and rest in the sun and watch the children play in the village below. She kept the commlink attached to her wrist, just in case Din tried to call through.

The sun was just beginning to set when Thell pushed herself to stand, looking for a towel to wipe the fruit juices from her fingers. She dug through her own bag, filing through her belongings when a glimmer caught her eye. It was Din’s bag, lying right beside her’s, and it was half unzipped. She didn’t want to snoop, but the glimmer was odd.

Thell carefully poked through his things, pulling away an extra shirt to reveal the item. Her breath caught in her throat as her fingers just barely brushed the item. It was the ornate silver headpiece from the city in Naboo, the one that she had dreamed about. It even contained the same shining forest green gem that she had adored. There was a single piece of parchment attached to it, held on by a tattered black string.

_For Thell Sai’Lya, Mandalorian, last of her Clan._

Din’s handwriting, if she could guess.

Thell wanted to cry, or giggle like a teenager, but she could only smile at it in wonder, rolling over the precious metal between her hands. Din had bought this for her, probably saw her eyeing it when they were in the city on Naboo that week. Weeks before she had even kissed him for the first time. The gift was precious, and her heart soared, but there was a greater treasure waiting for her. Waiting for Din and the kid to come tromping through the woods any moment now. The sun was almost fully set, pink glows starting to disappear over the horizon.

Except he didn’t come through the woods, because the door suddenly slammed open behind her, sending her stumbling on her feet in fear. She raced to get her blaster, too alarmed by the sudden movement to worry about the injuries covering her body.

Din was standing on the other edge of the room, fully clad in the Beskar, just at eyeline with the blaster pointed straight at his head. It calmed her immensely to see him again. Stunned, Thell lowered the weapon, letting out a quivered breath. She had expected to see Grogu in his arms, wide eyes staring and long ears twitching. But Din’s arms were empty, and Thell nearly collapsed.

“Is he...?” She couldn’t even finish the sentence.

He saw her swaying on her feet and stepped forward to grip her arms, stabilizing her. “He’s not dead.”

Thell blinked frantically. “Where is he?” When he didn’t answer, Thell shook him. “Din, where’s the kid?”

His gaze faltered, the visor falling to the side. “If it was the right base, which I’m assuming it was... it was deserted. The entire thing. They didn’t leave anything there.”

“But... But, Din, he was there. We were there, _together,_ ” Thell cried.

“I know, I know,” Din repeated, gripping her shoulder. “But something happened while I was there... they left someone there.”

Thell blinked. “Who? Why would they just leave one person there?”

“I don’t know... But he, uh... He says he knows where they took the kid.” His hand came to her’s, gripping tight. “Come with me.”

He led her slowly out through the front door, arm tight around her waist as she stumbled. He turned her towards the corner of the house, where a man was cuffed to the wooden post cemented into the ground. He was wearing a battered gray jumpsuit and worn boots. He looked older, a good twenty years or so older than Thell, with graying auburn hair and a trimmed beard. He was lolling to one side, obviously passed out as he lay slumped sideways against the post.

Thell’s eyebrows quivered. “Din... what’s going on? Who is this?”

She wished she could have seen his expression under the mask, to know if he was overcome as she was.

“He says his name is Theldar Avan... I think he’s your father, Thell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhhh.... so yeah.  
> things are about to get even crazier, my friends.  
> thanks for sticking around chapter after chapter!! i can't believe this story has over 2500 hits now, wow!!! that is just so amazing. i'm so thankful for every single one of you. <3 all my love!!


	22. Chapter Twenty One: Blurred

“Mother?”

“Yes, my love?”

Seba ran a hand through Thell’s hair as she cradled her, laying in the bed they shared in Darand’s house. Thell was young then, eight or nine, but she remembered the conversation vividly.

“What happened to father?”

Even then, Thell could feel the tension run through her mother’s body.

“He... We don’t talk about him, Thell, remember?” She said, softly. “That was a long time ago.”

Thell shifted, staring with big eyes at her mother. “But my friends have fathers... and I don't know anything about him.”

“That is a thing of the past, and we must focus on the future, right, my star?”

Thell stuck her lip out. “Why don’t you talk about him? I want to know about him!”

Seeing her start to get anxious, her mother gripped her arm with a calm strength. “We do not speak of such things, Thell. Now, go to sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow.”

. . . .

Thell would have collapsed if Din hadn’t had such a strong hold on her, but she felt herself wobbling anyway. Her mind was racing, trying to pull together her own memories and the truth she knew about her father. It couldn’t be him.

“Thell?” Din’s concerned voice was close to her ear.

Blinking frantically, Thell tugged on his arm. “Just... I need to sit down, Din, please.”

One arm around her back, he gently lowered her onto the bed again inside the house, moving to replace his jetpack and weapons on the floor while Thell tugged at the ends of her hair.

“Wh... What is this, Din?” She asked shakily. “He can’t be my father. He’s dead. Bo told us herself.”

“I don’t know...” Din said, beginning to pace back and forth. “He was the only person in there, practically begging me not to kill him. I asked him who he was and I punched him before he could say anything else... And I brought him back. I knew I needed to.”

“You know what Bo Katan said, she knew him!” Thell yelled, on the verge of tears. “She fought alongside him, and she knew exactly where his armor was. She knew exactly how he died... That man... he’s lying. He has to be.”

“Why would he have any reason to?” Din asked.

Thell’s head shot up. “Do you believe him?”

Din shrugged, and she realized as he stood awkwardly just a few feet from her that she had been yelling. Not scaring him, obviously, but enough to make him draw back.

She sighed. “I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to get so fed up.”

“Don’t apologize,” Din said with a soft edge to gravely voice. “I know it’s not what you expected to come out of today.”

Thell blinked. “Yeah... It’s not. I just thought... I thought Grogu might still be there.”

Din shook his head. “There wasn’t anything left. It’s like they had vanished.”

“If this is some joke, it’s cruel,” Thell grumbled, holding her arms over her chest. “No one deserves this.”

“Well, then... we’ll figure it out.” He stepped forward, bending on one leg in front of her to hold her knees. “We’ll figure it out together, Thell. Together.”

As she looked down at the visor, the one that hid the brown eyes she so desperately wanted to see and the stubble that lined his face, she could only think of the words she said earlier over the comlink.

_I love you, Din._

It stung, seeing him so close yet knowing he hadn’t responded the way she wished he would have. Maybe he just hadn’t heard, but she had heard him breathing over the other end. Didn’t he love her too? Didn’t he care about her even half as much as she did him? Wasn’t that the promise in Mando’a she had given him?

Guilt gnawed at her, and uncertainty was beginning to worm its way into her chest. He had slept beside her all night, kissed her over and over again, protected her with his life... but had yet to say those three words back to her. It haunted her immensely, and made her scared to say those words aloud again.

She had just opened her mouth to say something when she heard a yell outside. Din perked up, rising and walking to the door to swing it back open.

“Looks like our friend’s awake.”

Thell sat on the steps while Din stood beside her, hands on his hips. They stared down at the man in front of them, who was just beginning to fully realize where he was. He seemed frantic at first, hazel eyes darting frantically before they finally landed on Din. His mouth formed an “o” as he stared up at him, and his gaze drifted to Thell.

She wanted to yell at him, make him tell them exactly who he was and why he shared the same name as her father. She knew Bo had been telling the truth, but part of her wondered what had happened after that base had blown up. Had her father somehow made it out, unharmed? Is that why only his armor was found, the Beskar that didn’t break for anything?

But Din was silent, moving to cross his arms over his chest as he watched the man struggle against the post. He couldn’t be any older than his mid fifties, graying auburn hair fraying out over his forehead and ears. To her surprise, his gray facial hair was neatly trimmed, like he took pride in his appearance. No doubt he couldn’t find the same care in his clothes, the tattered gray jumpsuit with holes in the knees and fraying at the edges. If Thell had imagined her father, she didn’t expect him to look like this: defeated, tied up to a post, blood leaking from a wound on his temple from where Din had hit him.

He struggled just for a moment before fixing his eyes back on Din. Around them, the village was noisy as they shuffled by, kids peeking obviously at the strange man in their midst. But they seemed to mind their own business, and made their way around them.

“Where am I?” The man’s voice was rough, like sandpaper had been run along his tongue.

But Din didn’t give him the easy way out.

“Who are you?”

The man blinked. “... My name is Theldar Avan. I told you that already.”

“What were you doing in that base?” Din asked. Thell hadn’t seen him like this before, all intimidating and gruff in front of this man who said he was her father.

She could see the man’s throat bob nervously. “I was a prisoner of the Empire.”

“What for?”

“What do you think?” The man snapped. “The Empire’ll take anyone who gets in their way these days. It’s not like the Rebellion is in full force again. Not like five years ago.”

“Where’d they take the kid?”

“... Off planet. I overheard some troopers talking about him being shipped off to Morak. Moff Gideon is apparently supposed to meet them there.”

Thell could see Din studying him beyond the mask, his fingers tightening on his bicep. She glanced from the Mandalorian back to the man, the one with her father’s name. They weren’t going to get anywhere with questions like this.

Din stepped down the stairs, hovering over the man. “And why should we believe you?”

The man sighed, shaking his head. “It’s not like I’ve got anything else to live for at the moment. My wife hid away with my kid years ago. I lost the crew that I did have. Whatever answers I have, you can take them. I’d rather that than a painful death if I kept them.”

Thell’s brows furrowed, and gripping the railing of the stairs, pushed herself to stand. Sensing her move, Din turned in her direction, raising his hand.

But Thell took one step down, lifting her chin and staring back at the man who said he was her father. Maybe he was. Maybe she should just give him a chance. Her whole life had been spent feeling out of place, wanting to be more.... Missing her family after her mother dying and her father having been killed years previous. All she had ever wanted was a chance with them. Maybe this was it.

“Your wife,” she started. “... What was her name?”

The man’s eyes flickered curiously in her direction, but his lips remained in a solid line. “... Seba.”

Thell swallowed, hard. “And your kid... Did they have a name?”

She almost swore she saw the slightest lift of his lip, the curl of his mustache to indicate a smile.

“I only ever met her a handful of times... but she was beautiful. She had perfect brown eyes like her mother... Her name was Thell. After myself.”

“Kriff,” Thell exhaled, gripping onto the railing as she felt herself falling. Din was there in mere seconds, hands braced against her shoulders as he pushed her back upright. She almost started sobbing right then and there, not being able to believe the words that this man was speaking to her. She wanted to, desperately, but it had been so long. So long of believing her father didn’t care about her, that he had done something horrible to stop any conversations of him growing up... Of knowing he had been willing to die for her.

“You okay?” She heard Din ask lowly. He was leaning forward, Beskar almost touching her face. “Hey, can you hear me?”

Too overwhelmed, Thell pulled out of his arms, turning to walk up the stairs before she felt the sting in her thigh. She winced, pushing her hand against her knee and squinting her eyes in pain. It was nearly blinding as she leaned against the railing. Hands were gripping her wrists, and Thell nearly screamed, flinging herself back.

 _“Kar’ta.”_ Din’s voice was soft, low enough not for the other man to hear.

He helped her inside, but Thell pushed herself away again, going to the porch outside where she breathe fresh air. Knuckles white as she gripped the railing, she tried to slow her breathing again, feeling the pain still burn in her leg.

“Why aren’t you talking to me?”

Thell cocked her head just as Din chose to walk up beside her, letting her have a few inches between him. Sunshine was just glimmering off the horizon, setting the ocean of trees ablaze ahead of them. Thell dreaded the night to come, because it would be quiet, and dark, and she would be forced to deal with her racing thoughts.

Had Bo been lying? Was this man just pretending to be her father, to get something, perhaps?

Confusion bit at her from the inside out, making her shake in the warm air.

She had expected Din to speak again, to shake her out of her trance or make her look at him again. But he was silent as he only watched her, helmet slightly tilted so he only looked at her from the side. Thell knew Din was naturally quiet, choosing not to say anything unless it was a dry remark or an obvious answer. She tried to make herself remember the night before, when he had comforted her during every nightmare after she had shared the details of her torture in the Empire base... But the lines were blurring now. Too much had happened in too little time, and she felt like she wasn’t only breaking on the outside anymore.

She had thought periodically of the kid, of the warmth and love he showed her and Din. Of their time on Naboo when things had seemed so simple. Now, in a matter of weeks, the kid had been stolen, Thell had been seriously harmed, and now her father was sitting outside of their house. Back from the dead.

And Thell had told Din she loved him... And he had never said anything in return. She was grateful he was here, her best friend and the one constantly at her side, but more confused with his actions. She had wanted to tell him she loved him again, just to see her reaction. But his hesitancy was making her pull away.

“Din?”

“Yes?”

“... Do you think I should believe him?”

His response was slow, and carefully worded. “I don’t see why he would be lying... and he knows information, Thell. Information about your family.”

“I know,” Thell sighed, letting her arm rest over her eyes. “That’s what frustrates me... He talks about my mother like he actually knew her. But she never spoke about him, in fact, she refused to. I don’t remember a time when she told me any details about him... Whatever happened between them, it must have been bad. My mother acted like she hated him.” She took a deep, quivering breath, nearly on the verge of tears again. “All I ever wanted was to know my father.”

She felt Din’s elbow brush her arm as he moved closer. “We can always talk to him more tomorrow... We don’t have to sort it all out right now.”

Thell sighed, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. “I guess not... And he knows where Grogu is?”

“Apparently... but I’ll make him talk.”

Thell’s brows twitched at the tone in his voice, and something uneasy rose within her. It’s not like she cared about this man... She didn’t even know who he truly was. Why should she care about him anyway?

But something was tugging at her even long after Din and her stopped talking... She had always wanted to know her father, growing up but even more so after her mother died eighteen years previous, and all her secrets with her.

. . . .

Thell could only stare up at the ceiling as she tried to fall asleep. She was physically exhausted, her wounds and bruises sore, but her mind was racing, filled with confusion and anger and frustration.

Din was fast asleep beside her, rolled over on his side so his back faced her. They hadn’t spoken much after dinner, with Din having made sure the man outside was secured. The villagers didn’t seem to mind much; he wasn’t causing any trouble anyway.

She regretted not kissing Din before he had fallen asleep. She had been too frustrated as it was, practically throwing herself under the covers when night had finally fallen. Thell knew she wasn’t inherently frustrated at Din, but her anxiety was leaking over to him, and she hated it. She still loved him dearly, after all. Maybe it was because she felt extra vulnerable after her time in the base, after still reeling from the aftereffects of her torture. And out of nowhere, a man claiming to be her father had appeared.

She debated whether or not to move for a long time. She could hear Din breathing heavily, body wrapped under the blanket they shared. She could move, but it might risk waking him and having to answer why she was leaving in the middle of the night. But if she didn’t, she might not get another chance to talk to the man alone.

As softly as she could, bracing herself for the pain in her leg, Thell swung herself off the bed. Pushing the covers back, she let her feet brush the wooden panels of the floor, ever so gently rising from the bed. It shifted a little under Din’s weight, and she paused, staring at his sleeping form. When he didn’t shift, Thell rose steadily, bracing herself against the wall before limping over to where her bag lay. The room was still dark, the only light being a shaft of moonlight that shone in from a blowing curtain. Din was still asleep, to her relief, as she rustled through her bag, finding her blaster and shoving it into the back of her pants.

Only one panel squeaked under her foot before she finally made it out the door, the cool night air hitting her exposed neck before she wrapped her cloak tighter over her sternum. Even from here, she could still see the man cuffed to the post of the house, awake but leaning back against the pole.

Gritting her teeth, Thell carefully made her way down the front steps, hesitant to make any noise that was too loud. The village was quiet around them, as quiet as it had been the night before.

Grass crunched under her feet as she finally made her way to the ground, coming face to face with the man. He only turned his head slowly as he approached, hazel eyes half open as he tilted his face to look at her. Thell kept a good distance, close enough to where she could whisper and he could hear it, but far enough so that she had a good shot if she needed to use her blaster.

To Thell’s surprise, he didn’t say anything as she stood there, balancing on her good leg and keeping her arms crossed over her chest. She hadn’t known exactly what she was going to say, except that she needed answers.

She threw him a damp towel first, watching it land between his feet and catching the confused look in his eyes.

Thell shrugged. “It’s for your head.”

“Oh,” the man mumurmed, picking up the cloth gently. “... Thank you.”

Thell watched him place it over the cut on his head, watching him wince from the initial chill. After he had quieted again, Thell spoke. “Who are you?”

She saw the man nearly roll his eyes under the moonlight. “This again?” When Thell set her jaw, he sighed. “I told you already. My name is Theldar Avan.”

“What did you do that made the Empire so mad at you they decided to take you in?” Thell asked. “It’s not like they can arrest everyone who disagrees with them.”

The man squinted at her. “What are you getting at? Who are you people anyway?”

Thell nearly groaned, but kept her composure. “We’re just looking for the kid. That’s all we want.”

“What for?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Hm.” The man chewed on his lip, breathing heavily before looking off into the village. “Can I ask you why you were asking all those questions earlier? You seemed real adamant about knowing about my personal life.”

Thell debated being honest or not... she needed to know more.

“I just wanted to know if you were telling the truth,” she said plainly. “It makes me curious as to why you were the only one they left in that base.”

“Beats me... There were others left there, too. I could hear them yelling in their cells,” the man explained. “... I was there because I was working within a small Mandalorian cohort. We were working on a plan to restore Mandalore to its former glory, but we needed supplies... weapons, blueprints, grids, anything we could get our hands on. Ones that only the Empire had. I was in that base because... Because I found the supplies there, but they got to me before I could get out.”

Thell looked him up and down, suddenly curious. “You don’t look like the fighting type... If I’m honest.”

He chuckled under his breath, running his free hand over his beard. “I was young like you once... I fought within the Mandalorian rebellion that Bo-Katan Kryze organized at the forefront of the rebellion against the Empire. Nothing like the Mandalorian that you run with... He’s different. But I served under Bo for many years, but we got split up many years ago. I assume she’s dead by now, with everything that the Empire did. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my own armor.”

Like a puzzle, everything was beginning to click in Thell’s head, piece after piece. Working with Bo, serving under her in the Mandalorian rebellion against the Empire all those years ago. Losing his armor. Assuming that Bo had been dead this whole time... Explaining why she had thought he had died in that explosion. And why his vambraces were sitting stowed away in her pack upstairs.

Her tears were starting to well up again, against her own conscience.

“And why are you telling me all of this? You’re being... honest, if I can say so. You’re explaining more than I asked for.”

He shrugged, casting his eyes down. “Like I said earlier, I don’t have much to live for at this point. My men got out with the supplies needed and I was just collateral. I know that after this, after I get you to the kid, that Mandalorian will just throw me to the side. He’s not like the others... He’s a bounty hunter, isn’t he?”

Thell blinked, too consumed with the sudden realizations to stay any longer. She had just turned when she heard him shift behind her, his voice unusually soft.

“And who are you?” He asked, tilting his head, and something about it seemed genuine in the way he asked. “Why would someone like yourself be wandering around with a Mandalorian? You’ve definitely looked like you’ve seen better days, little one.”

Thell felt her heart thunder in her chest, threatening to break past her rib cage. She wanted to voice the words, she wanted to admit that she was his long lost daughter, the one he had last seen only as a baby. Nearly thirty years later, reunited again.

But the words didn’t come out.

“I’m no one,” she managed. “And I’m fine.”

When she finally pulled herself back under the covers, she let the tears fall, crying silently into her pillow. Din was still asleep, to her relief. She was just glad she hadn’t woken him up after his long day.

“Did he have the answers you wanted?” Din asked suddenly.

Thell’s ears practically perked, having nearly scared her, and she rolled over to touch his shoulder. The bed squeaked underneath them as Din rolled onto his back, his hand finding her’s almost immediately and gripping tight. Thell had missed this, just being with him and not worrying about anything. Except her worries had multiplied, but Din remained the same, despite not saying those three words back to her.

“Kind of, I’m not sure,” Thell mumbled, digging her nose into the pillow. “... Are you mad at me?”

“No,” he whispered, pushing hair back from her face. “Why would you say that?”

Thell sniffed, rubbing her hand over her nose. “I felt like I went behind your back... And I feel like I’ve been dismissive of you today.”

“You didn’t... I told you once that you deserved to know who your family was,” Din said softly, moving to lay on his side to face her. “That’s not untrue now just because we’re...”

Din paused, and Thell could almost see his eyes flickering back and forth, trying to search for the right words. When he struggled to say anything, she touched the tips of her fingers to his jaw.

“It’s okay...” she whispered. “I understand.”

She felt him lean forward, brushing his nose on her temple before placing a sweet kiss on her forehead. Thell snuggled closer, holding their intertwined hands between them.

“I think he’s my dad, Din,” she finally admitted, pressing her face into his chest. “And I don’t know what to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so, so much for reading, as always!! :)


	23. Chapter Twenty Two: Disclosure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of a faster update since i'm moving back to college on friday and need to write as much as i can! enjoy!!

"Morning."

Thell glanced at Theldar cautiously as she descended the stairs, holding a water canteen in one hand. He was slouched as usual against the post, his hand still hanging from where he was cuffed. It was midday; Thell had spent most of the morning having Din redress her wounds in the house, and the bacta had done its work, working quickly to heal her wounds. The electrocution on her leg was different, and would take longer, but she was determined to get back to herself again.

What did that mean, anyway? She had been taken, beaten severely, drugged, and tossed into the middle of nowhere. It didn't feel like she amounted much to anyone except Din and the kid.

Theldar's voice threw her out of her trance, shaking her back to reality.

"What's his plan anyway?" He asked.

"Huh?" Thell questioned, stepping a foot closer.

The man threw his head in the direction of the house. "Your Mandalorian friend. Does he plan to use me as bait or something?"

Thell's eyes flickered in the direction of the house, then curiously back to the man. "I don't know," she answered honestly. Din had barely spoken on anything having to do with the kid.

Thell stepped closer again, throwing him the canteen. He caught it at once, juggling it between his hands. She was going to say something else when she heard loud steps behind her, and Din approaching the both of them. He placed his hand on her elbow quickly, his silent way of asking her if she was okay, and Thell gave him a half smile.

When she looked back at the man, his brows were furrowed, gaze flickering between the both of them.

"Ohhhhh," he said under his breath. "So, you two are like, together together, right? I'm seeing that clearly? Strange... I thought Mandalorians only favored their own kind."

The comment stung, even though Thell knew it wasn't true. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, watching Din take a step towards the man. The comment hadn't seemed to effect him; if it did, Thell couldn't tell by just looking at the blank helmet.

"We're going to ask you some questions, and I need you to answer them, unless you want a hole in your head."

"It's not like I have anywhere else to go."

Din motioned for Thell, and she limped forward, holding herself on Din's outstretched arm.

"I need you to tell me everything about Seba," Thell said. "And your kid. And where you came from. Everything."

The man eyed them both. "... I'm assuming I can't ask why." When they didn't move, he sighed and readjusted on the ground. "Alright... I'll tell you. You don't look Empire anyway, but you two ask some weird questions. But I don't know why you're asking, so don't expect me to spice everything up."

"I met Seba Sai'Lya when I was a teenager, and we both lived on Coruscant. I loved her from the moment I met her. She was headstrong, argumentative, but brave, and insanely compassionate. Above all else, she cared about the people she loved. We met while both visiting the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, and immediately clicked. We shared the same values, had the same dreams... She was perfect.

"I was Mandalorian, Clan Eldar, and usually I would have married into the Mandalorian Clan.... But things with Seba were different, she was different. We got married when we were older, but by that time, unrest was already starting within the Republic. We knew we had to leave Coruscant before things got bad, so we did. I had to sell almost everything to get us to a safe haven... even Seba's most prized possessions. When she found out that I had sold her things but not even one piece of my own armor, she told me to leave. She thought that I believed my Mandalorian identity was more important than my family... than the daughter I had to leave behind. She was no older than a year the last time I saw her, big brown eyes and copper hair... Almost like yours, little one."

He nodded in Thell's direction, and she could feel the pinpricks of tears poke at the back of her eyes.

"From there, I went back to the Clan. I moved up in the ranks and was even appointed to be a general beside Bo Katan Kryze, wielder of the Darksaber. All the Clans joined forces eight years ago when the Empire and Palpatine threatened our galaxy... The one I knew my child was living in. I didn't even know if either of them were alive, but I fought in honor of them. Every battle, every life I took... It was all for them. There were Empire supporters all over the galaxy, too many for just the Mandalorians to fight off. But we did what we could. We sacrificed ourselves and worked day in and day out, in the hopes that someday, someone would come along and defeat them for good.

"I had armor... Long ago. I had to leave it behind on a stealth mission where I infiltrated an Empire base holding several of my brother and sister Mandalorians hostage. It was risky, I knew it from the start. But I had to do it; there were too many lives at stake. So I went in anyway, leaving behind every protection I had. I had just been able to get everyone out when the base collapsed around me... I barely escaped with my life, and by the time I did escape, everyone I knew had already left. I couldn't find a way to contact any of them, not even my leader. I was only left with wounds, and a body that would never completely heal.

"That's why I was at the base on this planet... I've still been working with the few Mandalorians I've managed to find, trying to find a way to destroy the remnants of the Empire... But they aren't slowing down. They've been finding ways to rise from the ashes for five years, searching for more power, more weapons for their cause. That's why they want your kid; he's special, apparently. I didn't hear much while I was locked up there, but I know that fact for sure."

Thell could barely breathe, feeling like she was going to pass out again. She tightened her grip on Din's arm.

"And your family?" She managed to ask.

"I haven't seen either of them in almost thirty years... Seba never contacted me again after I left. I don't even know where they ended up."

"She's dead," Thell said suddenly, even causing Din to glance at her in surprise at her sudden comment.

The man blinked. "... What?"

"She's been dead for eighteen years. Seba Sai'Lya was my mother."

Even from here she could see the man's lip quivering, and Thell had to force herself not to break down right then and there.

"How do you know that?... Who are you?"

Thell inhaled deeply, stepping away from Din's raised arm to stand on her own. "You don't recognize me...? You said I looked like your daughter, yet you look at me like a stranger."

She could see the way his eyes scanned her face, trying to discern her words, her appearance. She watched it grow over his face, the clarity, the sudden realization. He didn't say anything, barely moving before she slowly knelt in front of him, fishing out her necklace from inside her shirt. She laid it flat in her palm, the leonid symbol glowing in the sunlight. She wondered if it was his, if he had given it to her as a baby. The only thing she had to remember him by.

"Thell?" he whispered, breathless, his hazel eyes turning back to her. He looked lighter, friendlier than Thell had ever imagined him to be.

It felt like she was breathing new air, a weight that had been lying on her chest for decades finally lifted. She nodded slowly, too overcome to speak past the sob in her throat. She pushed the necklace into Theldar's free hand, wrapping his fingers over the metal. His hands were rough, having witnessed years of war, but something about them felt like home.

"Oh, my child," he breathed, his face growing soft as he looked over her. "It's been so long."

Thell nodded, pushing a sob down. "I thought you were dead."

"I thought that myself as well... I have longed for the day that I would see you and your mother's faces again." His gaze fell, drifting somewhere far off. "I'm just disheartened to hear that Seba's gone."

Thell glanced back up at Din for a split second, making sure he was still with her, before sitting down cross legged in front of Theldar. She wasn't sure exactly what to do, except that she knew this man sitting inches from her was her father, and she wanted to know everything about him.

"I can tell you about her... If you'd like," Thell offered.

Something brightened in the old man's eyes. "I would like that very much," he said, before pushing the necklace back into her hands. "You hold onto this, though... You're the one who needs it now."

Thell smiled softly, feeling a tear drip from her chin before she slipped the necklace back on.

"She's been gone for eighteen years... but the twelve I spent with her..." Thell drifted off, remembering her mother's face vividly for the first time in years. "Those I won't forget."

. . . .

"Are you okay?" Din asked as he walked past her.

She had spent most of the afternoon talking with her father, sharing stories of her childhood and her slavery on Bespin. In turn, he told her stories of when she was a baby and then of missions he had gone on while part of the Mandalorian rebellion. 

Seeing as he wasn't a threat, and didn't hold any weapons, the villagers allowed him to stay in a vacant house beside Thell and Din's. They had said their goodbyes as the sun was setting, and Thell had nearly hugged him. But it felt odd, having barely known him for a day, and she settled instead for a soft smile and a gentle clasp on his hand.

Now she was back in the house, leaned against the wall while she watched the Mandalorian wander about the room.

"Yeah... It's just a lot to process," Thell admitted. "It's weird to hear him talk about my mother... About the past. I knew my mother was headstrong but... leaving my father like that? How could she do that?"

Din shrugged. "Maybe there's more than we know... It was a different time then, Thell. More war and disruptions than we're used to. Perhaps it's more than what he's letting on about."

Thell chewed on her lip. "Maybe... What now? What are we doing about the kid?"

"I'll get the details from your father, and we'll take the Razor Crest and figure it out from there."

"Okay... I, um... I wanted to ask you something else, too... I want to learn how to fight, Din."

She saw the way Din tensed, how his shoulders drew in slightly. "Why?"

Thell shuffled her feet. "So I can, uh... So I can help you get the kid back. I'm in this fight, too, you know."

"What brought this on?"

"Because... I only know how to shoot a blaster, and you taught me that yourself. If we're going to get the kid back, I need to know how to defend myself. I'm not just going to stand on the sidelines while I watch you get yourself killed. I could help, Din."

"I'm capable enough, Thell," Din said, moving to shift his bag on the table. "I know what I'm doing."

Thell sighed and pressed a hand against her forehead. "I know, and I respect that. All I'm saying is that I want to help. You saw what happened to me because I couldn't defend myself in that base. That's part of the reason I wanted to stay, after all... To protect the kid."

"... I can't."

"What's the difference with this?" Thell pressed.

Din suddenly turned on her, looking massive in the dim light. The cold Beskar helmet dug daggers into her skin as he stepped closer, nearly frightening her. She knew he hadn't meant for it to scare her; he was just naturally intimidating, and sometimes she forgot the powerful warrior he was.

"The difference is your life, Thell. Fighting like that... It means taking a step closer to death."

Thell blinked. "But... I need to fight. I have to. If I had known how to before I had been taken, I could have fought back. I could've gotten myself _and_ the kid both out of there, safely. I mean, look at me. I can't get anywhere by myself right now."

"You risk _everything_ by putting yourself out there like that. It's too dangerous."

"Din, if you train me, I'll be okay. You're the best fighter I've seen."

"I taught you how to shoot... But I won't train you to fight. I won't put in the blaster fire if you don't need to be there."

Thell set her jaw. "So, you're just going to leave me behind when it comes down to it? Risking your life for the kid while I could have been there to help you?"

"Yes."

And with that, Din had settled his case. Thell watched as he turned again, placing his weapons in his pack as he started to get settled for the night. Running a hand through her hair, Thell used the fresher and changed into her nightclothes, sitting on the side of the bed. Din kneeled in front of her, carefully reapplying the bacta patch to the blaster wound on her upper arm. He was silent as he worked, fully clad in the Beskar like usual. Thell watched him with curious eyes, slightly frustrated, but tired enough to not try and argue with him again. He was incredibly gentle, like he had always been, rubbing his thumb around the needle wound in her forearm. Both wounds had healed incredibly fast, but the one on her thigh was the problem.

Thell pulled her pant leg up when he motioned her to do so, scanning the injury on her thigh. There were blue lines running up and down her thigh like veins, and a dark purple bruise in the middle of her leg. She could see Din hesitate before he snatched something from his bag.

"Hold it here," he said, pointing to the bruise. Thell took the gel pack from him and gently placed it over the bruise, jerking as the cold bit at the sensitive skin.

 _"Kriff!"_ Thell yelped, bracing her free hand against the bedframe.

Din muttered an apology before rising, his hands moving to her hair, to the injury where she had been knocked out. She heard the whistle of spray, bacta, being applied to the wound, before pushing her hair back in place and bending down in front of her. He was silent for a long moment, the helmet turned to the side before he finally looked up at her. Out of pure instinct, Thell reached out, gently cupping her hand on the Beskar helmet, maybe where his cheek would be. His shoulders lifted slightly, just enough where she could tell he was trying to control his breathing. For what reason, she wasn't sure.

"I've almost lost you too many times," Din finally said, and Thell could hear the obvious break in his voice. "I don't want to purposefully put you in a position like that. I need you as far from the fighting as you can be."

She had nearly been angry at him... Almost. But deep down, she still cared. She still loved the man that was trying to protect her as best as he could. And she couldn't blame him. She would have done the same for him, and for Grogu.

. . . .

After the second knock, Theldar finally opened the door. Thell stood in her tunic, the vambraces that were once her father's hiding under her cloak. It was chillier than the night before, the stars lighting her way overhead as she had snuck over to Theldar's house. She knew Din had known; she didn't hide that she wanted to see him. It's the favor that she wanted to ask him that made her hesitant.

Her father's hazel eyes were tired, slowly blinking as he realized it was her.

"Thell?"

"Hi," Thell said quietly, shuffling her feet. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

He only shook his head. "No, I was still awake. I'm glad to see you. Are you alright?"

"... Can I come inside for a moment?"

"Sure, of course," Theldar said, opening the door further and stepping aside so she could move past him. His house was smaller, and it looked as if he had no belongings of his own. Thell limped past him, sitting in the chair he had dragged forward to her.

"Uh, the villagers brought me some tea," Theldar said, moving around the table. "If you'd like some."

"No, that's okay," Thell replied. "Thank you anyway."

As Thell's gaze moved to the open window and the stars beyond, Theldar moved to sit down across from her, resting his elbows on the table. "You look distressed, little one."

"I... I'm a little anxious, I guess," Thell admitted, leaning back in her seat. "I mean, all my life my mother never told me anything about you, and then Bo told me that you were dead, and I thought that was the end of it."

When she looked back at him, Theldar's brows were raised. "Bo is alive?"

"Yeah," Thell nodded. "Mando and I visited her a couple months back. She... She knew where your armor was, the last pieces of it, at least. She told me about you... About how she thought you died in that base."

Without wasting any more time, Thell pulled the vambraces out from underneath her tunic and slid them in Theldar's direction. A slow smile grew on her face while he watched them with wide eyes, his lips parting in complete shock. She could even see the way his fingers trembled as he grasped them, holding them up in the dim firelight to look at them clearly.

"They're... cleaner, than when I had them before," Theldar said.

"Mando renewed them for me... It was the last thing Bolie had."

Theldar chuckled under his breath. "Makes sense that he would have them... You got to meet him?"

Thell shook her head. "Mando had just gotten the armor from him when his house blew up. Pirates... Just looting as usual."

A dark look grew over his eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that... He was a good friend." He suddenly passed the vambraces back to her, sliding the Beskar across the table. "You hold onto them."

Thell blinked. "But... They're yours. You should have them."

But he only shook his head. "I'm not the warrior I once was, Thell. My identity as a Mandalorian changed over the years... Besides, they suit you better now. They'll protect you."

Overwhelmed with thankfulness, Thell took them back. "Thank you, I... I don't know what to say about all of this really. I'm still trying to process it, and in a way I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Why?"

"... Two weeks ago, things were very different. We had the kid, we were somewhat safe, we knew what direction we were finally going in... And then I was taken by the Empire, me and the kid. So much happened there and I sometimes I still feel like I'm stuck there. I have nightmares every night, and I can barely walk on my own after what they did to me... I feel... I feel completely different, and I'm not sure if I like it. I don't feel like myself anymore."

Theldar reached forward, suddenly clasping the hand that was outstretched in front of her. Thell's eyes burned at his gentle touch.

"It's called growing up, little one," Theldar said softly. "Circumstances change, things happen, things we can never control. We aren't the same people we were a year ago, no less a week ago. Especially in a world like this... And I'm sure you've seen just how true that is."

Grogu's face flashed in her mind, all dark eyes and sweet noises and soft hair. Thell's heart ached.

"I came to ask you something... And I know it's probably not what you're expecting." Thell paused. "But this whole thing... This whole time I've been with the Mandalorian and the kid, ever since he took my master. Five months now. I feel like for once in my life I have a purpose again, and it's protecting that kid. I just let him go... And I couldn't do anything to stop it. And I know you're not who you once were, but you are Mandalorian. You fought in the Rebellion. And you are my father, more than anything. And I'm not asking this because you owe me anything... I'm asking because you are my dad, and I need your help."

"What is it that you're asking me for, Thell?"

She made eye contact with him, finally seeing some resemblance to herself in her father's face.

"I want you to teach me how to fight... like a true Mandalorian."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay yay! lots of new stuff.... don't worry, din&thell won't get put on the backburner... but things are only just getting started. 
> 
> thanks for reading!! please let me know what ya'll think of all the new developments, i love to hear feedback!! <3


	24. Chapter Twenty Three: Vigor

_“I want you to teach me how to fight... like a true Mandalorian.”_

To her dismay, Thell could only watch the confusion wash over her father’s face. His gaze flickered to and fro as he leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his chest.

“I can’t.”

Thell blinked. “What? Why?”

He gestured to his body. “I’m an older man, Thell. And when I got caught in that explosion all those years ago, it wounded my body. I’m able to infiltrate facilities and work with tech, but no more than that. I was barely able to defend myself before I got captured. I’m sorry, but I can’t teach you.”

Thell slumped back in her seat, feeling defeated. The only two people she could ask, one having refused and the other unable to do so. She hadn’t wanted to go behind Din’s back to ask her own father, but she was an adult, and felt as if she had some right to ask. He had let her stay on anyway, had made her swear to protect Grogu. That’s all she had been trying to do.

 _“Kriff,”_ she muttered under her breath.

Her father shifted from across the table, scratching at his beard. “I can’t teach you... But I could instruct you. It wouldn’t be perfect, you would need to nail every move I have you do, get everything correct since you can’t actually fight me back. You can train, beforehand, build up your strength and stamina. That’s only the beginning. After that, you’ll need to learn basic hand to hand combat... Why haven’t you asked your Mandalorian friend?”

Thell shifted awkwardly in her seat. “I, um... I already did. But he doesn’t want me to purposefully put myself in a fight, which I understand... He’s only trying to protect me. But I need that kid back, and I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.”

Theldar looked at her with a quiet, introspective gaze before finally saying, “You love him, don’t you? That Mandalorian?”

Thell felt the color flare to her cheeks. No one had asked her her feelings about Din for months, not since she had seen Bo and Cara. Now it was different, after kissing him and feeling his face under her hands, sleeping beside him in the darkness of their house. She did love him... She just wondered if he felt the same way. If he had accepted those feelings as his own, and not just the words he wanted to hear.

“I.... I care deeply for him,” Thell explained. “Ever since he took my master, Mando and the kid have been family to me.”

“I... I guess it’s a bit different now.”

Thell laughed, and it felt like the first time she had in years. “Yeah... It’s weird, I’ll be honest about that. But... I’m glad you’re here,” Thell said softly, reaching for his hand. “... Father.”

When Thell returned to the house, softly closing the door behind her, she didn’t find Din sleeping in the bed like she might have thought. She peered through the dim light of the house, even peeking in the fresher to try and find him. He wasn’t even on the porch.

Leaving her vambraces in the house, she descended the stairs again and made her way into the woods, just beyond the border of trees where the Razor Crest lay hidden. Maybe he wasn’t there either, but at least she could try. The moon was high overhead, and Thell pulled her cloak tighter to conserve warmth as she trekked through the woods.

Seeing the ship felt like seeing home, and for some reason, tears came to Thell’s eyes. She had first seen the ship five months ago on her homeworld in Bespin, running after the Mandalorian as she had begged him to come with. It felt like a lifetime since that night.

She missed Din... and she wasn’t sure why. She should have been content with where they were, having openly acknowledged their feelings and shared several sweet moments with each other. He was here, anyway, and he was safe. She knew she had been spending more time with her father than with Din, and maybe he was just feeling jealous because of it. Maybe that would explain the lingering glances he would give him when they all ate dinner together. ... Or maybe it was because she still didn’t know what he looked like under the mask.

Maybe it was because he hadn’t said those three words back that made her feel bitter.

Regardless, she hiked up the open ramp of the ship, careful to watch her leg as she ascended into the Razor Crest. She found Din immediately, sitting in the sleeping pod with his legs dangling out from the edge. Thell paused, watching him carefully before he had lifted his head to look at her. He was holding that little silver orb that Grogu loved, the one he always carried around on the ship after Din had given it to him.

“Din?” Thell whispered, feeling a pull in her throat.

He didn’t say anything as she approached, suddenly looking smaller in the dim light despite the strong armor he wore. He didn’t have to say anything, because Thell already knew what he was feeling. He was good about that, portraying his emotions despite wearing the helmet. She could see it in the way his shoulders slumped as she neared, the way his helmet drooped and how his hands immediately sought her out when she stepped in front of him. His fingers brushed her waist, just skimming around her back as she lifted her hands to his helmet, but not to remove it. Instead, she tilted it slightly so she could look down at him, at the silent T shape that the Beskar always drew her eyes to. His brown eyes were somewhere beyond that mask, maybe filled with tears; she wasn’t sure.

Leaning down, she pressed a kiss right above where the T sat, her lips numb as they connected with the cold Beskar. She stood between his legs, wrapping her arms over his shoulders and pressing her hair into his helmet. She didn’t want to let him see her cry this time; she wanted to be here for him, as conflicted and guilty as she was feeling. So she let her tears fall quietly while Din shuddered around her hold. The armor was cold, almost biting back at her skin, but Din’s hands on her back were warm. He clung to her like a lifeline, even when she tried to pull away, and ended up drawing closer to him instead. She stayed, for minutes, maybe even hours, silently holding him as he did her, the silver orb still clutched tightly in his right hand.

. . . .

They trained for weeks.

Soon after her leg had healed well enough, Theldar had begun to train her, working on building her stamina and muscles for hours into the day. She didn’t ask for breaks; she couldn’t afford them given their crunch for time. Instead, she worked tirelessly the entire day, only going back to the village after the sun had set. She would come back to the house, exhausted and sore, and curl right back under the blankets. Her and Din’s conversations late into the night were quiet, but she made no mention of her training, knowing he might push back against it.

But the last memory she had of Grogu, shackled and exhausted in the air duct on that base, kept her going. It’s what stopped her from spilling everything to Din, like she usually would have. She knew he had his secrets too, like the silver headpiece still hiding in his bag, but she didn’t spite him for it. She did tell him everything else, of the conversations she had with her father and everything she was learning about him.

Regardless, she trained in secret, deep in the woods with Theldar at her side. He instructed her by voice only, sometimes using himself as an example or using motions to guide her, but it was up strictly to Thell to figure how to work it out. She knew it would never be perfect, but she had an idea as to what she could do if she got attacked. At the very least, she could defend herself. Her strength still wasn’t up to match with Theldar’s, and she knew she would never get close to matching Din’s. But she found herself becoming more and more confident as she trained, sometimes even waking up before the sun rose just so she could get a head start. It made her feel powerful, recovering from her injuries and filling her mind with other things besides flashes of memories... Of Grogu and being tortured by the stormtroopers inside the base.

But everything was coming naturally to her, like pure Mandalorian blood was running through her veins. She found herself training with ease after the few weeks, the blood on her knuckles turning into calluses overnight. It made her feel like she had a purpose again, one she could combine with her old one. Maybe she could rescue Grogu after all, with the right materials and weapons, along with the defensive techniques she was learning. With Din right at her side.

“See? Put your arm out there, and extend it away from your body,” Theldar said a week into her training. “You have to make sure it’s far enough out so that your enemy won’t grab your wrist or something.”

Thell readjusted, digging her heels into the ground and fixing her arm as Theldar had said. “How’s this?”

“Perfect,” Theldar replied from his spot resting on a log, but suddenly pushed himself to stand. “And I know I said I couldn’t fight you myself, but let’s take it easy. You won’t go far without actually practicing with another person.”

Thell’s eyed widened. “Are you sure? I think I’m doing okay right now... Right?”

Theldar shrugged, coming to stand a few feet in front of her. “As best as you can without touching another being. But there’s more to fighting than actually knowing the moves. Your opponent could know your moves before you even perform that, and that’s when you need to improvise. Now... hit me.”

Thell looked him up and down, debating whether or not to actually take a swing at her own father. But he was the one who offered to train her after all, and he had lived all of his life fighting as a Mandalorian.

So clenching her hand in a fist, she sent her hand flying, aiming right for his shoulder. But her momentum stopped as his hand enclosed around her’s, and she stumbled, having to catch herself against him. Thell panted, dropping her hand and taking a few steps back, stunned by his quick reaction.

She shook her head, quirking a brow. “And you said you couldn’t fight anymore?”

Theldar shrugged, and she could see the small twinkle in his hazel eyes. “Training since I was six years old doesn’t fade away overnight, little one.”

When she wasn’t training to fight, she was with her father, learning more about where he came from and the history of the Mandalorians. She hadn’t even realized the hours that had flown by when spending time at his house, sitting across from each other at that table and drinking tea. It was everything that Thell had ever wanted... To see her father’s face, to hear his voice, to know everything there was to know about him. She still couldn’t believe that her mother had refused to talk about him for all those years, when she was seeing just how kind and selfless he truly was. And how much he cared about her.

“Alright, what are we doing today?” Thell asked during their second week, hands on her hips. “Mando said we’re leaving in two days since my leg is pretty much back to normal.”

“Hm,” Theldar mumbled, walking over in her direction and scratching as his beard. “We’ll practice hand to hand combat between the two of us.”

Thell flexed her shoulders. “Okay. Sounds easy enough.”

“Without the armor,” Theldar added. “And without mercy.”

His dark tone made Thell stare back at him with her lip stuck out, but soon enough, he was smirking at her, making her laugh.

“Oh, okay, I see how it is.”

Shedding the vambraces, Thell moved into her defensive position, keeping one clenched fist raised in front of her face and the other extended out past her body. After a moment of keeping her gaze locked on him, Theldar swept forward, jumping halfway to swing a hit to her sternum. Thell dived, rolling on her shins and ducking so his feet wouldn’t clip her head. There was still some lingering pain in her thigh but she only clenched her teeth, fighting through the pain like her father had told her. She heard him land behind her as she stumbled upright, spinning to face him again.

He threw himself at her, deflecting swing after swing as he fought her. Sweat dripped past her eyes, despite the cooler weather in the forest. Thell swerved, spinning so she could block another punch right next to her head. Wind whistled beside her ear as she dodged his attack, before grabbing his own wristing and spinning, twisting him to the side. Adrenaline rushed through her as swift as the wind, carrying her feet, pumping the blood through her system to keep her going. She only had a split second to think before sweeping her legs out and knocking them into her father’s. He grunted, falling over her legs on his hands and knees just as Thell pushed herself back up to stand, body on fire and panting heavily. Her father whirled around, slumping when he realized Thell was already standing, hands in fists raised above her chest as she bounced on her feet.

Theldar wiped sweat from his brow, throwing her a smirk from his spot crouching on the ground. “Looks like I’ve taught you well, daughter.”

Thell beamed, feeling the most pure smile grow on her face in weeks. Maybe she really was a Mandalorian, and this was only the beginning of accepting it.

Despite her physical growth, her time with Din seemed to be hesitant. Most nights during those weeks, she woke up in the bed, alone, searching for Din with groggy eyes. Oftentimes, she would find him standing outside, that same silver orb clutched in his palm. He rarely spoke about Grogu, and it broke her heart. She felt guilty enough having lost the kid, and it pained her immensely to see how much the man she loved was in pain. He didn’t admit to it; Din had always been quiet, but resourceful. He spent his time working on the Razor Crest or bringing back goods for the people of the village to thank them. That’s what made Thell admire him so much: under that bout of armor and array of weapons was a kind, compassionate man, one whose heart was torn in two at the thought of his kid suffering.

But one night during those three weeks had been different.

Thell had been gone most of the day, training with her father deep in the woods, when she ran into Din. She was wearing her mother’s sweater and her hair was pulled back, a bucket of those beautiful fruits she had seen in her arms. She had been meaning to bring it to the two women who had taken care of her, that and a bundle of wildflowers she had picked in the forest.

But Din was standing on the outskirts of the village, his shoulders relaxing as soon as he saw her.

“Hi,” Thell said, somewhat shyly. Even weeks after their first kiss, she still found herself getting nervous around him. She knew he was soft and just as nervous as her underneath, but she nearly forgot about it when he was wearing all that armor.

“Are you doing anything?” Din asked.

She glanced down at the items in her hands. “I was going to bring these to the women who saved me... It’s not much, but I feel like I haven’t reached out to them since you brought my dad back.”

“Here,” Din said, reaching for the bucket and graciously accepting taking it from her arms. They walked together to the house, Thell knocking on the door and holding the flowers in her hands. The women were both there, bright smiles growing on their faces and lighting up their eyes as they saw them. She started speaking in her foreign language immediately, to which Thell could only smile and nod.

“Can you...?” Thell asked Din, motioning in their direction.

He had already caught on, listening quietly as the older woman spoke. “.... She thanks you. She appreciates it a lot... and she says she’s glad you’re alive and doing better.”

The words coming from his helmet came out in the same language the women were speaking, and Thell watched as they murmured amongst themselves, smiling widely. Then the older woman leaned forward, looking at Din expectantly and speaking to him in a soft tone. Thell watched the two of them, her gaze flickering back on Din when he went silent.

Her hand found his arm. “... What is it? What did she say, Din?”

She could almost imagine him blinking under the helmet. “... She’s asking if we’re married.”

Color swelled in Thell’s cheeks and she had to squeeze her fingers into her tunic. What was it with older women and asking them about their love life? It’s not like she didn’t want to be married to Din... In fact, she had thought about it once or twice. She just wasn’t sure if he had ever thought of her in that way.

But what surprised her even more was when Din responded, although she couldn’t understand his words. She could only look at the women’s facial expressions and guess for herself. But their smiles were gentle, their eyes soft as they traveled between Din and her. They dipped their heads, thanking Thell again for the items before closing the door behind them.

Thell blinked. “What did you tell them?”

He extended a gloved hand to her, like he had first done all those nights ago on Naboo.

“There is... something... I’ve been meaning to do,” Din said, his modulated voice gentle.

She glanced up at him hesitantly before taking his hand, letting him guide her through the village, back through the forest where the Razor Crest was hidden. The ramp dropped to their feet and Din’s hand was still in her’s. The only time he did move away from her was to rifle through his sleeping pod, while Thell stood with her arms around her chest, feeling guilty and like she had backstabbed her closest companion, the man she loved. It was eating away at her the more she was with Din... And Din had barely said anything yet.

She watched him search through his belongings before he finally found what he was looking for, returning back to her with a small black bag. Din pushed it into her hands, helmet tilted down to look at her expectantly. Thell already knew what it was even before she pulled the item from the bag. The silver headpiece from Naboo, the one she had accidently found weeks ago in Din’s things. Her cheeks flared with warmth as her fingers caressed the item, pads running smooth over the metal.

“I meant to give this to you that night in the woods.”

Thell felt a tear fall down her face. “It’s beautiful... But, um... I have something to admit to you first... I saw it in your bag, the day after you came back.” Thell threw a hand over her face, embarrassed. “I’m really sorry, I was totally snooping in your stuff that day and I saw it.”

But to her relief, Din chuckled lightly under his breath. “It’s okay, _kar’ta_... I know it’s not much,” Din admitted, his voice falling. “But it’s not just a headpiece... it’s a placeholder, for now...it signifies something greater.”

Thell blinked, looking up into his visor. “What?”

“A union... A joining of Clans.”

The breath caught in her throat. Was he implying what she thought he was?... Joining his Clan of two, just her and the kid and Din?

“Din...” she whispered, breathless.

“You don’t have to say yes. I won’t make you do that.” Din was going to say something else, moving his hand to his shoulder, when the ramp outside shook, and Din moved as quick as a bolt of lightning to stand in front of her, blaster aimed and whirring with life. It was only Theldar, stumbling up the ramp and panting heavily. Thell wanted to be angry at him for ruining the soft moment between them; she hadn’t been with Din like this in days.

“Father?”

“I... I remembered where we needed to go, before Morak. From what I overheard in the base, the place on Morak is extremely difficult to get into, like pre Empire stuff. But I have a connection that could help us get in.”

They left the planet the day after, when Thell had finished her healing, despite the blue scars that ran up her thigh, and made their way into the Outer Ring, where Theldar had said they could find information on the kid and how to find him on Morak. By that point, she could already notice the physical changes in her body, the way her muscles were becoming leaner and how she could catch her breath easier after running a long distance. Ever since she had reunited with Din, she was actually starting to like who she saw reflected back in the mirror, fading bruises and all. She was stronger underneath now, feeling lighter on her feet than she had in years. She tried not to make it so obvious to Din, knowing he might question her if he noticed.

“How far is Kijimi?” Thell asked from the copilot’s seat. Theldar was seated in Grogu’s old chair, and it felt oddly uncomfortable to see him sitting where her beloved green friend used to be. Din’s hands were flickering over the controls, pressing buttons and pulling a clutch down to send the Razor Crest humming into the air.

Thell watched with sad eyes as the village they had spent the last three weeks in was swallowed up by the forest, along with the sweet people who had rescued and cared for her. Three weeks ago, she had nearly been dead, and now, her body was brimming with new life. She felt more capable than she ever had been, ready to take on whatever the Empire was going to throw at him. Maybe she was a little overzealous, but she couldn’t help but be proud of how far she had come.

Her and Din hadn’t spoken of the moment inside the Razor Crest with the headpiece since her father had interrupted them. The headpiece had vanished again, and Din had slunk back into himself. Guilt gnawed at Thell as they flew through hyperspace, guilt for hiding her training from him and guilt for not saying yes immediately and rushing into his arms, just like she had always wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for reading!!  
> i'm trying to update as much as i can since i move back into college on friday. i know after that it may be harder to get regular updates in, but this story has been such a lifeline for me... and i love writing it!  
> i seriously can't believe that this story has over almost 3000 hits on it already... it's been over a month that i have been writing it now and so many of you being so sweet and encouraging about my work! it honestly makes my day everytime. i'm so appreciative of all of the love <3


	25. Chapter Twenty Four: Kijimi

"What in... _Kriff._ This place is crawling with bounty hunters. Anyone who sees you might try to shoot you, Din."

Thell was leaned over his shoulder, looking at the rest of the space port of Kijimi from inside the cockpit of the Razor Crest. It was littered with bounty hunters, obvious from the symbols on their shoulders or the weapons they carried. Din even pointed out a few that he had met previously.

Kijimi was dark, even during the daytime. Huge mountain ranges surrounded the city that was covered in snow. The streets were tight, staircases littered with species of many kinds, vendors and merchants shouting in every direction. Most of the settlements were built from grey stone, just the same as the cobblestone paths and walls. Street posts displayed various shops and taverns while the only lights came from burning yellow emitters that flooded the walkways.

"I'll be fine," Din replied, sounding unusually calm. "It's been three weeks since the Empire took the kid. No one will be looking for me."

Thell sighed. "I hope not."

"So who is this contact of yours we're meeting?" Din asked, peering over his other shoulder to look at Theldar.

"His name is Vero Vincler," Theldar explained. "We used to serve together; he defected from the Empire a few years.... But he should know the details on how to get the kid back."

. . . .

Despite her training and feeling more confident, Thell clung to Din's side, brushing her shoulder against his armor as they walked through the crowded streets, rampant with villagers and visitors from every spot in the galaxy. Staying close to the Mandalorian, who stuck out like a star in the crowd with his Beskar and great height, made her feel immensely safe. They were getting steps and steps closer to get Grogu back, to getting back to the way things were before they had been captured.

It felt like she had lived a different life before she and the kid had been taken: wandering the galaxy for months, finding her father's armor, spending day in and day out at the Mandalorian's side. Maybe that's why she had fallen for him so quickly, since they spent almost every waking moment together. She had saved him on Pasaana from the pirates, and he had saved her life on Naboo after nearly drowning by the squid creature. She had equally risked her life trying to save the kid in the base, but lost him despite her attempts. Even all those months ago, in the first few weeks she had been traveling with them before Din had let her stay permanently, she had taken a blaster shot for Grogu.

Sometimes she still thought she saw the kid, snuggling in the bed with her as she fell asleep or playing with that orb in the copilot's seat. But when she blinked, he was gone, like he had been for the past three weeks.

"Thell?"

Din's voice rang like a distant memory in her ears, and Thell shook her head, seeing him looking at her from a few feet away. She hadn't noticed she had stopped walking until she realized Din was farther away than he had been. Theldar was walking ahead of them, talking into a commlink to the friend they were meeting.

Din stepped up beside her, touching her elbow. "You okay?" Snow was falling on his helmet, snow like she never seen. She was the coldest she had ever been; maybe that's why she had sunk back into her thoughts again.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she admitted, tightening the cloak around her body and patting his arm. "It's cold here."

Din opened his arm, motioning her to keep walking. "Stay close to me."

She did, and followed the two of them into a large tavern, brimming with life and loud music. It was darker than any tavern or club she had ever seen, only lit by small pits of fire in the corners. Species of all kinds roamed the walkways, pushing past them and nearly making Thell stumble had Din not had a firm grip on her arm. Theldar led them through the throngs, heading for a vacant booth in the back. Thell scooted in beside Din, and as soon as they were situated, she felt his hand rest on her knee. His gaze was far off, the helmet faced the other direction as he scanned the crowd. But even then, he was seeking her out.

"Where is he?" Din asked without looking at Thell's father, who sat across from them.

Theldar craned his neck, peering through the tavern. "He should be here soon."

As if on cue, a man in a sleek golden robe with black details came sweeping through the crowd, patting several people on the shoulder and making quick conversation as he swept through. Thell wasn't one to judge on first glance, but she couldn't help the disgust that wormed its way into her chest. He had tall, dark hair that was slicked back, and a perfectly trimmed beard that curved in a half crescent around his cheek. Whoever he was, he was renowned and he relished in it.

Theldar rose, catching the man's attention.

"Ah! My old friend!" The man exclaimed, opening his arms wide to pat Theldar around the back. "It's good to see you... What brings you into this side of the galaxy?"

"These two, actually," Theldar said, gesturing to where Thell and Din sat. She sat a little straighter as the man approached, carefully watching as his piercing green eyes trailed her up and down and sat in the booth across from them. He reached over, extending a hand in their direction.

"Vero Vincler," he said, and Thell could smell the Spotchka on his breath from where they sat, but shook his hand regardless. "Any friends of Theldar are friends of mine. How can I help you?"

"We're looking for an asset the Empire stole three weeks ago. He's one of the highest bounties I've seen... Small, green, an unknown species."

Vero's eyes widened. "Oh? That little guy? Yeah... I've heard he's been causing the Empire a lot of trouble this year. You hunting him or something? Saving up to buy you and your girl a path to freedom?"

Thell felt him tense beside her, the hand on her knee flexing slightly, but he remained unmoving. "None of your business. I just need him back."

Vero leaned back, placing his hands behind her head as he slouched in the booth. "What can I expect in return?"

"Credits, free passage to the Outer Rim, I don't care," Din said, leaning over the table. "I need you to tell me how to find him."

A coin suddenly appeared in Vero's hands, folding it expertly between his fingers. "I can tell you... for a price."

"I don't have time for games," Din muttered.

Vero threw his hands up, the coin disappearing again. "No games here, my fair sir. Only something in exchange for my information... Where's the fun in giving things out for free, huh?"

"What do you know?" Din asked, leaning forward on one arm.

"I know where he's being kept," Vero said, his dark gaze intent on the Mandalorian, and something about it made Thell's skin crawl. "And the codes that you need to get inside the base."

"Tell me."

"I'll tell you... But you must come to my dinner tonight. Only then, will I tell you what you need to know."

Thell shot a few glances between Din and her father. The Mandalorian wasn't refusing so Thell took it as her motion to nod along as her father reached forward to shake the man's hand.

"We'll be there," Theldar said, sitting back in his seat just as the other man rose. The three of them rose together, Thell standing almost uncomfortable close to Vero.

"Good," he said with a smug grin, adjusting his jacket as his eyes traveled to Thell, and he leaned forward to pinch her chin. "I look forward to seeing you there... wear something nice, princess."

Anger and shame flooded through her, and her hand shot up to grab his wrist, but Din was faster, stepping halfway in front of her with his blaster shoved into the lower portion of Vero's jacket.

"Whoa, hold on there, buddy," Vero said, a smirk growing across his lips as he replaced his hand. Thell considered biting him just for the hell of it. "Take it easy."

"Keep your hands to yourself, and I will," Din growled, and Thell could tell he was trying to keep his voice as even as possible. Vero raised his hands beside his head, stepping back as the Mandalorian lowered his own weapon. The crowd around them hadn't shifted, hadn't gone silent when Din had raised his blaster.

"I don't want any of that funny business tonight, you hear? Weapons are left at the door," Vero fumed, grabbing the bag he had left hanging on the booth and sending an icy glare in Theldar's direction. "Some friends you've gotten yourself involved with."

The three of them watched him leave, swerving through a flood of people until he had disappeared entirely. Theldar clasped his hands in front of him, swinging on the back of his heels.

"Well... That was a cheery discussion."

Thell rolled her eyes and went to turn away, feeling Din's hand rest against her back as he turned them away. "I need some air," she heard him say above the pounding music. She blinked, sensing a bout of emotions mixing inside of him. Instead of asking him further, Thell nodded, giving his arm a gentle squeeze before watching him move through the crowd again and out into the streets.

She helped her father out from the booth and followed him outside together, where snow was continuing to fall, dusting her nose.

"Thell." She turned, finding her father's hazel eyes in the busy street. "The dinner isn't for another few hours... If you wanted, I could teach you some more Mandalorian ways while we wait. Reconnaissance, binocs, things like that."

Her eyebrows lifted. "Really?"

"Why not?" Theldar shrugged. "But it's too busy in the city to do any of it. I'm heading up to that rock formation just so that no one looks at me funny."

Thell smiled, memorizing the formation so she could find him later on. "Okay... I'll see you soon, father."

"I'm so glad we could do this together," Theldar said, offering Thell a small smile before pushing something cold into her hands. "Go buy yourself something nice."

When Thell looked down, there was a handful of credits in her open palm, and she raised her head to thank him. But Theldar was already gone.

Blaster tucked into the back of her pants, and vambraces secured tight around her forearms, Thell made her way to the first garment shop she could find.

. . . .

Thell had never been one to fawn over fancy items, having known the dangers of gluttony she had seen in her former master. But she couldn't help herself as she let her fingers run over soft linens and silks, because it felt like she was caressing her fingers in gold. Once she had found something to her liking, she pressed down on her commlink to radio Din.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," came his quick response.

"I'm in a shop... But I wanted to come see you... Is that okay?"

He sent her the coordinates through the comm, and Thell made her way back into the streets. She could just spot him as she moved further through the people, just beyond the edge of the village where the trees lined the surrounding area. She pushed past people to get to him, the fresh air finally hitting her face as she walked near him.

"Hey!" Thell called as she came bounding up to him, snow crunching under her feet. It was a strange and new sensation as she walked towards him, smiling warmly.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "Things got a little heated earlier."

"I'm fine," Din said. "It's nothing."

"Well... Good," Thell nodded. "I wanted to show you something."

Unfastening her cloak, she pulled it away so he could see her new outfit, a black jumpsuit, one that showed off her shoulders and cuffed at her ankles. Something fancier than she had ever worn, but still light and flexible enough to fight in it if she needed to. It was warm too, fur covering the neckline to help shield her from the cold.

"I got this for the dinner tonight. My dad gave me some credits... Maybe a little silly," Thell laughed. "But I thought it was nice... I don't get much of that these days."

But Din was quiet, not even moving, and Thell tilted her head at him in question.

"What do you think?" Thell asked. "Is it too fancy? Or not...? I haven't worn anything like this before so I wasn't sure..."

But the way Din was staring at her made her stop talking completely. He wasn't staring at her like he did that one night on Naboo, when her hair had been wet, or even when she would smile big at him. No, he was looking directly at her shoulder, where her bicep was bare and he could see the new muscle and strength that had formed there over the past few weeks. The obvious growth she had been trying to hide from him.

"Wh... Why do you look so..."

Thell's heart dropped. "I, um..." She thought about lying again, just to smooth things over with him. "Different?" Thell finished it for him.

Din stared back at her, helmet unmoving as he spoke. "What have you been doing?"

Thell swallowed nervously, fastening her cloak back over her shoulders. She would have had to tell him eventually, and after three weeks of intense training, one she knew she felt stronger, more capable from, she finally felt the words form in her mouth.

"I've been training," she admitted. "... With my father."

"How long?" Thell looked the other way, averting her gaze as Din stepped closer. She could see the glint of Beskar from the corner of her eye. "How long, Thell?"

"Since the night I found out he was actually my father..." Thell replied, hanging her head.

 _"Dank Farrik!"_ Din muttered under his breath, standing with his hands on his hips. She saw him pacing, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I didn't do it because I was spiteful with you," Thell admitted. "Or because I wanted you to be mad at me."

"But you went behind my back?" Din accused, stepping in front of her.

"What other choice did I have, Din?" Thell yelled, suddenly feeling anger flood her veins. "I knew you weren't going to train me and my father is the only other person that has been there for me."

"I explained to you why I wasn't going to train you. This isn't a joke, Thell."

"I know it isn't! I've been with you for six months but I knew the moment I stepped on this ship it was something bigger than myself. But _you!_ I care about, I want to protect you... But you're not letting me."

"Because you're only going to get yourself killed."

"But you weren't being fair with me!" Thell cried, stepping forward with her hands in fists. "After everything I've been through, the least I deserved was the chance to protect myself... And more than just with my _Kriffing blaster!"_

Din was quiet, and the silence almost scared Thell. When he did speak, his voice was pained.

"... This isn't like you. You're acting... different."

"Because I am!" Thell cried, the tears finally spilling from her eyes. "I'm tired, and confused, and I think about that kid all the time. I see him everywhere; on the ship, in my bed, everytime I see that thing he used to play with... Because it was _my fault._ I was the one who swore to protect him when you were giving us time to escape. I told myself I would, Kriff, I even promised the _kid!_ " Thell dug the palm of her hand into her forehead, the sudden headache burning in her skull. "I was the reason we got captured in the first place... And I'm the reason Grogu isn't here with us right now. I let him slip through my fingers so easily and now he's who knows where, probably halfway across the galaxy and freaking out. _I_ did that to him. Ever since I got out of that, that _prison_ , I've felt different. I felt like I woke up and I was a different person... And I didn't know what to do."

Knees wobbling, Thell fell to the ground, scrunching her fingers into her pant legs. The sobs were coming out of her throat now, ripping raw as she sobbed. She felt the cold of the snow under her knees, dampening her clothes.

"I felt so helpless, Din," she cried. "I... I only ever wanted to protect you two."

It was a long time before she felt anything but Din's presence hovering above her. He didn't move, didn't touch her or bend down to her level. When Thell finally opened her eyes, she could see Din's boots through her blurry eyes. Sniffling heavily and rubbing at her nose, Thell leaned back slightly.

"Stand up," he said, almost like an order. Thell blinked, surprised by the tone of his voice, but shakily rose back to her feet anyway. He had always been taller than her, so she had to tilt her chin up to look at the visor clearly. He was still quiet, the T shaped visor staring back at her.

Thell swallowed, letting her hands drop to her sides. "I... I don't expect you to forgive me, because I _did_ go behind your back. I hid this from you and I shouldn't have, I'm sorry. I know we're supposed to trust each other and all you wanted was for me to be safe... So I understand if you can't trust me anymore..." When he still remained quiet, Thell shrugged. "And I can also understand if you want to leave me here, or on Nevarro, or something..."

"No."

Thell blinked. "N-no?"

"I'm not leaving you."

"But, Din, I thought you didn't want me to-"

"Thell." His serious tone stopped her, and she saw the way he stretched his arm out, extending his gloved hand. "I need to talk to you... on the ship."

She looked him up and down, trying to understand what he was getting at. She didn't know why it hit her so suddenly, the hesitancy Din had always had with her father, the lingering glances when she would laugh or talk with him. Maybe he was just jealous, which was very unlike Din, or maybe it was something else.

"... Are we... leaving?" She dared to ask.

Din dipped his head. "We have what we need to find the kid. Your father is better off staying out of the fight."

Thell blinked, stumbling back. "No, no... He has to come with us, he's helped us this whole time... He's my _dad_ , Din."

"I know, but it's safer for him here."

When he reached out to touch her, Thell pulled away, starting to head back into the crowded town.

"I've been looking for him all my life... In people, in places, everywhere," Thell said. "My whole life I thought he was dead or that he just didn't care about me. I know you probably hadn't liked how much time we've been spending together..."

"It's not that."

"... But I'm not leaving him. I've lived three decades without him... I'm not wasting another three."

Brushing away her tears, Thell turned and walked back into the crowded town, immersing herself into the flood of people without another look at Din. She felt guilty, part of her wanting to turn back and apologize, but she couldn't. She couldn't live knowing they had just abandoned her father on this planet in the middle of nowhere... Not when she had been longing to know him all her life, and not when he had taught her so much.

She zigzagged through the flood of villagers, passing by markets and children running at her feet, heading towards the cliffs that her father had told her about. The air outside the village was chilly, and she pulled her hood up as she felt the spit of sleet on her skin.

The commlink from Din blinked on her wrist; he was trying to get her attention. Ignoring it, Thell shoved her sleeve over the device and trudged up the hillside, climbing over rock structures and dodging trees before she finally made her way to the top. The cliffs surrounded the village, giving her a perfect view of the whole place. All blinking, twinkling lights and small, moving figures below her.

Wind buffeted her cloak as Thell finally locked eyes with her father, crouching behind an outcropping of rocks that just descended off the side of the mountain. She shuffled forward in the dark, making her way through the maze of jagged rock and tree roots.

"Hey, little one," he greeted with a small smile as she crouched down beside him. His hand came up to pat her shoulder before his eyes focused on her's. Bloodshot, Thell realized. "Are you alright?"

Thell blinked rapidly. She couldn't tell him. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine... I was just, uh, overwhelmed by the crowd, you know? And I think I got something in my eye. I'm okay though..."

"Okay, good," Theldar said before swinging a bag between them. He fished out a pair of electrobinoculars, tossing them to Thell.

"What are these for?"

"Long range sensors. Helps you see things from far away, people, landmarks, whatever you need... It also assists with elevation and has a functional zoom in capability. Good for the stealth missions I was on."

Thell peered through them as she lay on her stomach, resting her elbows on the rocks as she peered past the mountain. The electrobinoculars were tinted red on the inside, showing a grid of crimson lines as she scanned the village. Her father was right. She could nearly see every detail of each individual person's face in the village.

Thell pulled them back, handing them back to her father. "Where'd you get them?"

"A junkyard off the last planet, a few miles through the forest... The vendor had no idea what he was selling me, so I got them at a fair price," Theldar chuckled, which made Thell smile. "And this, as well."

He fished out another item from his black bag, a blaster that looked similar to Thell's, but much longer and more dynamic. More controls on the side and a funny looking part on the top of the barrel. He passed it to Thell, who fumbled with it sloppily as she realized how heavy it was. She laughed when Theldar did, and the moment struck a chord deep in her heart.

"Set it on your shoulder, like this," Theldar instructed, moving it to the right position. "And it's not loaded, so you won't have to worry about accidentally shooting someone."

Thell exhaled. "Oh, good. Wouldn't want that."

Theldar chuckled beside her as he copied her position, looking down at the village through the electrobinoculars.

"Now, look through the scope, here," Theldar said, tapping the funny part on the top of the barrel. Thell did, squinting with one eye as she glared down the compartment. It clicked with her after a moment, slowly moving the rifle to adjust so that she could see into the village.

"Did you ever use one of these?" Thell asked.

"A long time ago... I haven't run into one in many years," Theldar replied. "Now, let's see. Can you find the woman with the yellow hat?"

Thell peered into the scope, moving slowly through the village. "Um... Yeah. Now I can see her."

"Great job, little one," Theldar said beside her, and it made her heart swell with pride. "What about the vendor selling glass figurines?"

"Yep. Got him."

"Okay... what about Mando? He should be easy to find. See him anywhere?" Thell searched through the village as she heard Theldar mutter beside her. "Maybe he went back to the ship already or something..."

Finally, Thell caught sight of him, moving almost frantically through the village, even going so far as to push some people out of the way. Something deep wormed in her chest, worry settling in. He was looking for her, and she could bet the commlink on her wrist was still blinking.

"Find him yet?"

Thell blinked, clearing her throat. "Uh, yeah. I did."

"Good... now shoot him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhhh.... so yeah. i hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter :))))  
> next chapter will be up very very soon, so you are not left hanging too long!! as always, thanks for all the love! <3


	26. Chapter Twenty Five: Snowfall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i did not expect the reaction from the last chapter, i'm so thrilled so many of you were surprised by it!!(i am generally not very good at surprises) anyways, i hope you enjoy this chapter and it answers some of your questions. there is a lot of different dynamics going on inside it... but i hope you leave somewhat satisfied, this was one of my favorite chapters to write.
> 
> cw//: violence/death threats/peril towards oc and others

“Shoot him, Thell.”

Thell felt her heart stop. “... What?”

“Shoot him,” Theldar growled, and Thell looked from the corner of her eye to see his own blaster pointed directly at her face, her eyeline directly down the barrel of the weapon. “Or I’ll kill you myself.”

Thell swallowed hard, debating the options that she knew she only had mere seconds to do.

“Father,” was the first word out of her mouth, and pain exploded in her face. Hard.

She tasted blood in her mouth even before she caught herself on her hands, keeling over in the dirt. Rocks scraped against her hands, and the snow covering the ground didn’t help the throbbing in her palms. Pain was shooting through the right side of her face, and she had only realized Theldar had struck her with his blaster when she looked back at him. He was hovering over her, having her look straight down the barrel of his weapon. His face was contorted, features wild as his hair frayed over his face. Thell could only look back at him in confusion and deep, deep pain.

“Father, what are you doing?” She cried, holding her face. Her blaster had dropped somewhere beyond her hands, and she didn’t want to risk scuffling around to look for it.

“Stop calling me that!” Theldar yelled, pointing his blaster closer to her. “I’m not your father, I never was!”

And suddenly everything clicked. The weird glances when Thell would mention something about her mother to him. Returning out of nowhere Din’s hesitancy and growing suspicion of who just exactly who Theldar was. Her real father had been dead the whole time... and the man looking down at her was only a stranger, a stranger with crazed eyes that made every bone in Thell’s body shake. The face she had once found comfort in was contrasted starkly against the falling snow; she didn’t even recognize him anymore.

Thell fell on her backside, too overwhelmed to hold herself up, and scooted back up against the rocks as Theldar prowled forward.

“I... I don’t understand,” Thell sobbed, kicking her legs out. “You were helping us, you wanted us to get the kid back!”

“Insolent child... I was using you to get to him!” He pointed in the Mandalorian’s direction, and Thell’s blood ran cold. “I knew I could never kill a Mandalorian in my state, especially one from the Watch. One that the Empire has been hunting for _months._ He’s been causing them a lot of trouble, you know, and his head is worth a lot. So, I thought to myself, hey? Why not get myself a few extra credits and work for the Empire while I’m at it? That’s why I was in that base, as a spy, because I knew you had already been taken there. But I knew in my state... At my age, I couldn’t defeat him. So I knew I needed to get to someone close to him to kill him _for me_. He would never see it coming.”

He bent down, pressing the butt of his rifle into her thigh, making Thell whimper in pain as the electrocution came rushing back to her.

“And who comes running along but the daughter of my oldest friend, one who happened to be _in love_ with just the specific Mandalorian I had been looking for. I knew I could get close to you, and if I got close to you, that would just lead me closer to _him.”_

Thell shook her head, frantic. “I... I don’t understand, you cared about us! About me!”

“Aren’t you listening, girl?” Theldar yelled again, smacking her knee with his weapon and making Thell cry out in pain. “I knew your father. We grew up in the same Clan, on the same road to greatness, except when your darling mother came along. He broke rules, oh, so many rules, just to be with her. And yet, he was still offered every position _I wasn’t_. He rose through the ranks when _I_ should have been the one leading the charge!” He bent down in front of her, gripping her chin hard. “I knew every detail about him... because he shared everything with me. I knew your mother, and I knew you before she whisked you away to Kriff knows where. Your father _was_ kind, Thell, a people person, and everyone loved him. _But he took everything from me._ All the glory that should have been mine... He was cheating the system by being with that... _scum.”_

Her mother’s smile flashed in her mind, and something inside Thell snapped. She leapt forward, throwing herself into Theldar and digging her nails into his shoulders. She bowled him over, kicking out with her back legs to try and disarm him. But he was quick, knowing every move she would make because he had trained her himself. He reached up and twisted her arm behind her back, making Thell scream in pain as he tossed her to the side. Her back slammed against the dirt, rocks digging into her spine and crushing her hand behind her back as snow fell in her face. She clawed blindly, Theldar’s movements too quick for her as suddenly his hand enclosed around her throat. He didn’t squeeze immediately, instead holding her there with that same crazed look in his eyes as she struggled and squirmed beneath him. When their eyes locked, that’s when he squeezed, applying more and more pressure until Thell felt herself getting light headed.

She could hear Theldar’s voice, just faintly. “You’re going to kill him, _now,_ or I’ll put this blaster straight through your head, and you’ll never find your precious kid.”

Releasing the grip on her throat, he shoved her to sit up, whirling her around and keeping a tight grip on her wrists as Thell coughed, trying to breathe normally again. She could see spots as she kneeled in the same spot from earlier, the rifle being shoved into her hands. In the process, she clicked the commlink on her wrist, making her location and voice known to Din. He could listen in, but it wouldn’t let him speak through, and that’s all Thell needed. She just hoped the man hadn’t seen.

“Why not just kill him with the rifle yourself?” She croaked.

“I could... But where’s the fun in that?” He said, laughing deep in his chest. “I want to make Theldar suffer one last time before his daughter goes to see him, and what better way than shooting the man she loves with all her heart, _herself_. Now, position the blaster again,” Theldar growled from behind her. “Or you’ll wish I’d have killed you already.”

Shaking with every fiber of her being, Thell carefully reset the rifle, lining it up with her shoulder just like Din had taught her with that blaster all those months ago.

“I don’t know why you care about him so much anyway... He’s just going to leave you once he gets the kid back.” Theldar laughed, something deep and evil. “In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he formed some sort of trade with you and the child.”

Tears streamed down her face, her neck. “He would never do that.”

Theldar laughed again, his deep voice rumbling in her chest. “I wouldn’t be so sure... I’ve seen the way he treats you, the way he looks at you even with that mask on. If Mandalorians care about anything, it's themselves. The quarries, the bounties... It’s all for their own success. They’re just power hungry, Thell, every single one of them. I’m surprised with how intimate the two of you already are that he hasn’t forced himself onto you yet.”

Memories pulsed through her: Din’s lips on her’s, feeling the curve of his smile under her fingers, their soft conversations during the day and late into the night. Those days on Naboo when he had been so gentle with her, taking every step at tiptoe at a time, even the day she had nearly died. The headpiece as a symbol of their union, the one she still had yet to accept. Din, as kind and as awkward as her, learning every step along the way. He had never been like what this man was implying, not like the slave owners and older boys running around on the streets of Bespin that had terrified her growing up.

Thell gritted her teeth, feeling anger pulse through her. “He isn’t like that.”

Theldar sighed behind her. “You’ve been blind, Thell, to every bit of it. I almost pity you... Almost.” She felt the cold muzzle of his blaster against the back of her head, pushing her forward. “Now, kill him. You’ve been wasting my time.”

Trembling, and struggling to breath after he had choked her, Thell looked down through the scope. Through it, she could see every individual person walking through the crowded town. Din wouldn’t be there, she knew it for certain. She scanned slowly anyway, giving him time to come and rescue her. She knew she didn’t stand a chance alone against Theldar; he knew every punch or kick she would give, and he would just fight back perfectly on his own. She knew from their time training... One that seemed all but wasted now.

She could hear the stranger chuckling again behind her, just the slightest lift of the muzzle off her head.

“I just wish Theldar could be here to witness this... His little girl shaking and crying like a Kriffing womp rat... He would be ashamed of you, Thell. They both would.”

But she didn’t wait for Din, because the man’s comment had already struck deep within her, and it felt like the necklace she had worn since she was a baby was burning into her chest..

She twisted, as fast as she could, knocking her rifle into the man’s arm just as his own blaster went off beside her head. Her ears rang, and for moments she could only see stars as she tried to reoriente herself. But she had seemed to have caught him off guard, and swung her arm out, punching straight at his neck. He coughed, falling backwards into the snow as Thell prowled forward, her body fueled by rage and agony.

“You are a disgrace to have ever taken my father’s name!” Thell yelled, kicking her foot against his own leg. “I can’t believe I ever trusted you!”

He stumbled, falling onto his back into a cloud of snow and sleet. Thell leapt forward, digging her knees into his sternum.

“If you’re trying to kill him, it will _never_ be by my hands,” Thell growled, before furling her hands into his tunic and slamming him into the ground. He grunted and wheezed under her, and Thell raised her one hand in a fist, aiming for his face. But was he faster, already seeing her movements seconds before she had acted upon them. His arm shot up, an iron grip clasping down over her wrist and yanking her to the side. Thell landed heavily in the dirt and snow, trying to scramble to her hands and knees as pain shot continually up her side.

She could spot the man from the corner of her vision, rising and aiming his blaster at her with shaking hands. Out of pure instinct, Thell threw her arms up in front of her face, just hearing the fire of the blaster go off feet from her. Her eyes squeezed shut, she expected to feel the burn of the blaster through her sternum, the cold of the ground as she was thrown back.

Instead, she only felt the pressure of the blast against her Beskar vambraces, the ones from her father, her true father, protecting her even now. Opening her eyes, she slowly lowered her arms, coming face to face with a man who looked utterly scared. He was stunned for the moment, so Thell saw her chance, keeping eye contact with him as she found a rock under her fingers beside her. She sent it flying in his direction, pushing herself to stand and dashing back towards him just as the rock collided with his skull. He grunted in pain, throwing a hand over his eyes as he keeled over, just as Thell sent a foot flying in his direction. The stranger yelled as he flew back into the snow, jerking against the rocks and roots that lay underneath.

The glimmer of his rifle shone at her feet, and Thell’s mind seemed to come rushing back to her. She was panting heavily, limbs buzzing from the rush of adrenaline that was surging through her body. She could taste blood in her mouth from where the man had hit her and the numbness along her cheek. There was snow on different parts of her clothes, even along the ripped section on her leg of her new pantsuit.

Ironic.

“You... You lied,” Thell panted, her hands in fists at her sides. “You lied about everything.”

“Yeah...” The man struggled to say, pushing himself up slowly to sit. Even if he was older than her, he still fought well. “You’re just catching on?”

Thell looked over the edge of the clifftops, to the city below and hopefully where Din was running up to save her. “But I... I don’t understand. I don’t understand why my mother hid him from me all this time, when you make him sound like such a great man.”

The man’s features darkened, and he glared at Thell with half lidded eyes. “Your father _was_ a great guy.But your mother... She wasn’t fueled by anger but by love, love for the father of her child who was also harboring the coordinates to _Luke Skywalker.”_ Thell’s brows creased, and she watched as the man started cackling wildly. “Imagine that. The coordinates to a child the Empire had been looking for _twenty years._ She knew Theldar had them, and that’s why she ran off with you, and never told you a lick about him. To keep him safe... But mostly, to keep anyone from figuring out who _your father_ was, so no one could use you two as ransom. She knew running was no life for a child.”

It looked as if he was going to say something else, but Thell heard branches cracking in the forest around them, and Din was racing towards them, stopping completely as he noticed Thell standing over the man she had once called father. Seeing him was like suddenly seeing home and remembering just how much you had missed it, every regret becoming a fading memory and a love rising so high instead it was nearly overwhelming. Thell knew she had never loved him more than she did in that moment.

In her blindness, she felt a hand on her ankle that tugged, hard. Letting out a shriek, she hit the ground, snow crunching under her back before she felt something heavy on her chest. Thell clawed blindly before seeing the man standing over her, his boot pressed down over her heart. Kicking her legs out, Thell tried to gain traction before digging her fingernails into his pant leg. Just like before, he had taken her down out of her own ignorance, knowing every move she would make before she even made it.

She could see him clearly now, holding the rifle directly at the Mandalorian while keeping his boot planted firmly on her chest. When she squirmed beneath him, whimpering in pain, she felt his other boot dig into her forearm, crushing the Beskar into her skin.

“Put down your weapons,” the man growled. “And I won’t crush her ribcage.”

Thell twisted her neck to see Din, to beg him not to. Tears were starting to prick at her eyes, running down the sides of her face and into the snow. It was still falling, tiny puffs of powder coming out from the darkness and covering her face and body, painting the landscape white.

But she saw the drop of weapons off his body, clanging on the rocks around them, even his jetpack.

“Din!” Thell cried, wriggling under the man’s weight, and letting out a harsh cry when he pressed down harder and felt something pop in her chest. Through her teary eyes, Thell could see the Mandalorian’s head dip down, looking at her in worry, before taking a few hesitant steps forward. She thought she heard him say something, but his voice was too quiet as the blood pounded in her ears.

But there was a blur of metal and a heavy clash beyond Thell’s eyes, and the combination of grunting and yelling somewhere close by. The pressure from her chest was gone, and she coughed, pushing herself upright and shaking out the pain in her arm.

Pushing herself to stand as her vision cleared, Thell could spot her Mandalorian tussling with the stranger just a yard ahead of her. Din had disarmed him, sending his blaster flying away into the darkness. Thell panicked, looking for her own rifle as they tussled in the dirt. The Mandalorian was heavier and better trained by far, but the other man was still smart, using his lithe form to sneak out from under Din and secure his hands around his helmet.

Thell could only watch for a second while she retrieved her own blaster, shakily turning back towards them. Too distracted by trying to keep his helmet on, the man had thrown his foot into the back of Din’s knees, causing him to stumble. Thell raised her blaster, trying to aim among the tussle but not being able to get a clear shot. She didn’t want to miss the man and hit Din accidentally. In the moonlight, Beskar flashed, and she could only get glimpses of the other man’s crazed face as he fought the man she loved.

But Din was smart; Thell knew that from the night she met him. He regained his composure, and with a loud grunt, shoved the man backwards and sent him flying into the rocks. He charged forwards almost immediately, gripping the man by his shirt collar and jerking him upwards. Thell saw the dagger emerge in his hand, raised to plunge right into the man’s stomach. Thell raced forward, blaster still raised, and she could see the man spot her.

“Din, wait!” She called, to which he only withdrew the dagger slowly. She didn’t know why exactly she wanted him to wait; she had tried to kill this man moments before, had _wanted_ to see him dead. But part of her, the Thell that Din had met that night on Bespin, was holding her back from killing him immediately. She had all the power to; it would just take one single pull of the trigger, and yet it felt too easy. She had told Din once she didn’t want to kill anyone... and here she was, six months later with the trigger hot on the man she had once called father.

“You’re just a coward, Thell!” He yelled as Din righted him, holding him just a few feet from his own chest. “Just like your mother... And your father!”

Thell’s lip curled as she kept the blaster remained at her eye level, trembling in her hands.

“Oh, what I wouldn’t give to see the look on old Theldar’s face right now... See the light leave his eyes again.”

Thell rocked forward, too stunned at the comment to stay still. Din still had a tight grip on the man, but seemed to be holding out as he spoke to Thell.

“That’s right,” the man said, nodding when he saw the realization hit Thell. “I was the one who hid the bombs in that base your father died in... I _wanted_ him to die, and what better way than an accident? But your father was always smart, and he realized I was the rat soon enough. Unfortunate for me, I had to end up shooting him myself-"

Blaster hot, Thell fired without taking another moment to consider it. It threw her hand back, and she watched as the man snapped back from the blaster shot to his head, slumping in Din’s hold and crumpling to the ground in a heap. Din stumbled back slightly, his hand dangling in the air as he looked down at the body. Even from here, in the dim light, Thell could see the charred wound on his forehead, the blood that leaked out from the rock she had thrown at him, creating a small pool of crimson that stained the snow. She let the blaster drop, the sound of metal hitting rock echoing off the clifftops. Everything was silent again, as quiet as the falling snow.

Seeing him dead, the man she had believed was her father for the last three weeks, made her legs feel like jelly. She stumbled forward, murmuring Din’s name, before her head spun and it felt like she was falling. She was, and the earth turned black around her before she felt warmth wrap around her. Din was there, catching her from falling. Even blind, she reached out for him, shaking fingers finding his helmet.

“I... I thought it was really him,” she cried, barely audible. “I thought it was him.”

“I know,” she heard Din say. “I know.”

. . . .

The constellations seemed cold that night as Thell sat in the copilot’s seat of the Razor Crest.

They had been sitting for hours, drifting silently through space. Din had explained to Thell once they reached the Razor Crest that he had been suspicious of the man from the start, and had even gone after Vero Vincler and forced him to spill everything after they met. He had just been paid to lie to them and bide the man who called himself Theldar Avan more time. Din had killed him anyway, too nervous he would try and come after them or exploit them to the Empire. Din had begun to grow suspicious even that day when he noticed he was missing some credits and the binocs in the cargo hold. Din had been adamant about leaving, but unwilling to tell her the real truth right then and there, knowing it would hurt her. He had only planned to lock her on the ship and kill the man himself... But things hadn’t turned out that way. With the man dead, and his comrade having been a liar, they had no idea where Grogu was. He could be halfway across the galaxy, or dead. They had wasted five weeks of their time to a man who had done nothing more than lead them onto a cold trail.

Din hadn’t left her side since the ordeal, except when he had told her to wash up when she finally came to, to clean the blood from their fight off her skin. She had unwillingly accepted, too drained from the incident to do anything but lean her forehead against the wall of the fresher, letting the steam build and the hot water cover her aching body as red pooled around her feet.

When she had finally come out, Din had retrieved her mother’s sweater from her pack and offered to clean up her wounds. They had sat in silence while he cared for her, the humming of the Razor Crest oddly comforting despite their circumstances. She had cried silently anyway, and when Din had noticed, he immediately offered her his extra shirt to dry her tears, the shirt that smelled so strongly of him. He was comforting in odd ways, like no other person she had ever met. But he was _her_ person, quirks and all.

And finally, she had stowed herself in the cockpit, curled up on the seat with her mother’s sweater covering her body. Din had stayed with her, but hadn’t asked her a word since they had first boarded the ship. He just sat with her in silence, not even moving to hold her hand unless she went to him first.

She didn’t know what she felt... Or how to feel. All she felt was pain, internal and external. Pain at losing Grogu in the first place, and not being able to help him. Pain at recovering from the injuries and torture she had endured in the base... And pain from the man who had made her believe he was her father.

She didn’t see his face, all bloody and screwed up, when she closed her eyes, not like she had with the creatures she had killed on Pasaana or the troopers outside the Razor Crest. No, she saw nothing, and that’s what scared her the most.

“It’s why my mother never took his last name,” Thell murmured.

She saw Din move from the corner of her eye. “What?”

“It’s why I’m a Sai’Lya, and not an Avan. So no one could find us. It’s why she looked so hurt when I would ask about my father. It’s why I grew up in that house, as a servant, as somebody that no one even batted an eye at. We were invisible, exactly how my mom wanted. It’s why she never told me anything about him, to protect the both of us. Maybe my father lied to Bo too, about a fight breaking them apart... So they wouldn’t have any excuse to come looking for us when he did die.”

“... What are you saying?”

Thell leaned her head against the seat, catching Din’s gaze. “It all makes sense. That man... Whoever he was... He wasn’t lying. The only thing he lied about was being my father, the rest was just... history. Maybe he twisted some things, but for the most part... I think he was telling the truth.”

Thell looked out into the vastness of space beyond the cockpit window, knowing Grogu was out there, waiting for them

“She never hated my father... just the reason why we had to stay apart, and the anger she felt at not being able to be with him. But maybe it’s also why my mom gave me my father’s necklace... Because one day she knew she would be gone and I would be left with all these questions... and now they’ve been answered.”

Thell felt Din’s hand suddenly gripping her’s, and she looked over to see him kneeling down beside her, holding her hand in both of his. She cocked an eyebrow, slightly curious as he only looked at her in silence.

“I... I’m sorry for earlier.”

She blinked at him, understanding after a moment. “I should have told you I was training... I’m the one that should be sorry. I always tell you everything and I hate that I hid it from you. That man... He was keeping me from you and I didn’t see it until now... I’m so sorry for all the ways I’ve hurt you, Din.”

She could feel tears in her eyes again, but Din’s hand reached up, holding her cheek gently in his glove. “I care about you too much to be angry with you. I’m not going to let _you_ hurt anymore... Not like you have been. It was selfish of me not to train you.”

Thell turned, moving so her knees brushed his shoulder. “But... You’ve been hurting too. I’m part of the reason for that.”

To her surprise, Din looked down, shaking his head. “I’ve only been hurt when I thought I lost you... and I’ll always forgive you.”

Thell let her hand run down the side of his helmet, wishing desperately, for the first time in days, that she could see his eyes, his whole face. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had kissed him. It didn’t matter anyway; she didn’t kiss him to know she loved him. Because she did, and the love she felt for Din was stronger than any fear or sadness that clouded her heart. Stronger for the parents that she grieved and wished she had truly known.

“Din?”

“Yes, _kar’ta?”_

Her heart warmed at the nickname, the one he had given to her in her sleep all those months ago, when he thought she hadn’t been listening. “You call me _kar’ta..._ Is there anything I can call you?”

She could practically see the gears working in his head as he looked up at her, the cold mask suddenly warm even in the starlight.

“There's a few...” he said eventually.

“Okay... pick one for me,” Thell whispered, leaning in close. “The best one you know.”

Again, he looked up at her in silence, but his thumb was running circles over her hand, and she had forgotten how precious it was to be with just him alone. If Grogu had been with them, it would have been even more perfect, but for the time being, it would suffice.

“ _Runi,”_ Din said, an accent on his tongue.

Thell creased her brows, murmuring the word under her breath a few times before finally asking Din for it’s meaning. She wondered if he was smirking under the helmet, and almost gave up, knowing he still hadn’t told her the meaning of her own nickname. But when he spoke, his voice was soft, a comfort amongst the things that they had endured together over the past month.

“Soul.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wowie wow. that was a lot. this chapter was very deep and intense for me to write, so i hope i did everyone justice and you felt satisfied by it. din and thell's story is far from over... they still gotta go get their little baby back, so watch out for more. ;)
> 
> thanks so much for reading!! every little word of love ya'll give this story makes me so indescribably happy, love ya'll!! <3
> 
> also... din and thell essentially calling each other their heart and soul. GAH MY HEART


	27. Chapter Twenty Six: Heal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow. the feedback i received from the last two chapters has just been so amazing... the sweet words and compliments i have gotten from so many of you is the greatest blessing!! it has been my greatest honor to write this story. i will weep for days the day i finish it, it means so much to me. thank you for continueing to support my work, and loving this story!
> 
> cw//: this chapter deals with really heavy emotions and themes of guilt/regret/death/abuse, etc... nothing is too graphic, but emotions are high, bruh.

Thell didn’t even remember falling asleep.

But suddenly, before she came to fully, she could feel the cold press of armor on her cheek and a form breathing beside her. Blinking groggily, she raised her head, nearly jerking away in surprise as she realized the Mandalorian was sleeping beside her. She knew they had moved at some point down into the cargo hold, and Thell had been extremely tired. It had been weeks since things had been quiet with everything going on, where just the two of them had been able to sleep soundly.

She hadn’t dreamed of the man who had pretended to be her father... She dreamed of Grogu, of the way he would sit on her shoulders and play with her hair or coo softly in his sleep. Thell knew Din had a mission to complete: to return Grogu to the Jedi or have him choose his own path... Whatever the case, Thell dreaded when that day would come.

She was sitting between Din’s legs, her own legs swung over his thigh while she leaned against him. Din was sleeping, his head leaned back against the wall, and she could hear the soft breaths coming from inside his helmet. She had been lying against his chest, her arms curled into her own chest while one of Din’s hands lay across her knees. The other had been wrapped around her back, but was now draped to the side. She hadn’t seen him sleep in full light before like this; she wondered if his face was relaxed, if his brows were tensed like they sometimes were when they talked in bed. She let her fingertips linger against his pauldron, tracing the small details of the Mudhorn insignia on the armor. That’s when she felt him shift against her, his helmet popping up.

“Hi, _runi,_ ” Thell murmured, drawing her hand back and not able to keep the wide smile on her face away as she used his new nickname. Din had to lean back, looking at her through the helmet. She smiled at him regardless, even though she couldn’t see his expressions. She raised a hand slowly, letting her fingertips draw down the curves of his helmet, following the indents where his cheeks would be.

“Are you okay?” He asked, and Thell knew he was meaning deeper than just the question itself. They had rarely talked about her confrontation with the stranger on those cliffs, besides the parts Din had heard through the commlink.

Pulling her legs back to sit criss cross between his open legs, Thell gently took his hand in both of her’s, holding it in her lap. She started softly, telling Din every detail of what had happened between her and that man, everything that he haunted her with. She didn’t cry until she mentioned how he had her find him in the crowd of Kijimi, and forced her to try and kill him. She didn’t even cry over the fact that she had shot the man who had poised himself as her father, and it terrified her.

“I... I wasn’t going to, I didn’t want to,” she whimpered, rubbing her palm into her eyes. “But he tried to make me. I couldn’t do it, Din, even if he had tried to kill me. I... I care too much about you for that. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I had done that.”

She hadn’t spoken this openly about her feelings towards him in weeks, not since the day she had told him she loved him over the commlink. When he hadn’t responded, and all those feelings of dread had come creeping in. She had rarely had time to talk to him about it, having been equally fed up with him and her supposed father’s reappearance.

Instead of responding, he gathered her close, hugging her to his chest with one hand cradling the back of her head. Thell nuzzled into his neck, just where his helmet dipped inwards, and dug her fingers into the back of his cape.

“You know it’s hard for me,” she heard him murmur beside her ear. “... to talk about how I’m feeling.”

Thell gave him a gentle squeeze, acknowledging him. “I know... You don’t have to. This is enough for me.”

When she spoke, he suddenly held her closer, the hand from her head moving up, but no longer touching her skin. He was shifting weirdly, his chest moving suddenly like he was panting, and Thell went to pull away. “Din...?”

“I’m taking off the helmet,” he warned. “Don’t look.”

She turned her head the opposite direction, letting her cheek rest against his shoulder pauldron while she felt him move behind her. There was a small hiss of air and Thell could hear him, breathing loudly, almost hyperventilating as metal hit the floor. Worry sparked through her veins, and Thell had never been so tempted to look at him before, to ask him why he was suddenly so frantic and trembling like his whole body was on fire. But she didn’t want him to break the Creed, or do it for him herself, so she only planted her hands firmly to his back. The hold around her waist returned, tugging her closer so she swore she could feel his heartbeat through the Beskar armor. She felt warm air on her skin before he suddenly nuzzled into her neck, his breaths loud in her ear. Wisps of his hair brushed her cheek as he panted against her skin, his fingers bunched tight in the material of her mother’s sweater, threatening to dig past her skin.

“Din?” She managed, feeling her own voice break as he whimpered in her ear. Months ago, she would never expect a man like him, someone of his reputation and stature, to completely fall apart like he was doing. But she knew what it was: a buildup of his agony and pain over losing the both of them, of feeling completely helpless while they were dragged further and further away from the kid they loved. She knew he had been dealing with it internally while they were on the other planet, but that man had distracted her from ever fully understanding how he was feeling.

He hadn’t calmed, his breath still erratic as he clung to her, so Thell ran a hand gently through his head, smoothing his hair down.

“Din, it’s okay. I have you,” she whispered. “What-"

“I almost watched you die,” he said, his voice quiet in her ear, and Thell’s heart broke.

“It’s okay,” she whispered again, running a hand down his back. “I’m okay, we’re safe. I’m still here, and I’m not going anywhere, I promise. You’re not going to lose me again. We’re going to get him back... we’ll all be together again, and we’ll be okay... Okay?”

He didn’t respond verbally, instead choosing to nod into her neck and smooth a hand over her lower back. She held him and murmured soft encouragements in his ear until his breath settled again, and he wasn’t panting on her neck.

“... You remember that headpiece, the one from Naboo you gave me?” She felt him nod lightly against her shoulder. “... I would have told you that night, had that man not interrupted us... But I was going to say yes... I _am_ saying yes.”

Din froze against her frame, his hands stalling on her back. “You... You...?” He struggled to get the words out, so Thell closed her eyes, gingerly nudging his cheek with her nose until she felt him move. He inhaled sharply, his body responding to her’s as his forearms slid around the back of her neck, hugging her close as she pressed her lips to his. Sighing, she melted into him, pressing her hands firmly into the Beskar chestplates. They slowly rose to his hair, digging with her fingers and nearly scratching his scalp, making him groan against her. It felt like eons since she had last kissed him; she couldn’t even remember. But she forgot everything else when his mouth was on her’s , every agony of the last five weeks and the pain of things that had caused them to drift apart, further than Thell had wanted. He was warm and kind and everything Thell had ever wanted.

When she pulled back, he pressed his forehead to her’s, slick with sweat. Thell wanted to open her eyes then, see his brown ones looking back at her. They were deeply connected, practically bonded by their love for the child and for each other. She just had yet to say it again... But she had said yes to joining his clan, to becoming a family with him in the strangest of circumstances. Wherever her parents were, she hoped she was making them proud, hoping that the biggest of smiles were etched across their faces.

. . . .

“What are we doing here?” Thell asked, peeking past the controls of the cockpit to the view outside. They had landed in the middle of the forest, or at least what was left of it. The trees looked charred, stripped of any foliage and some hanging in pieces. The ground was like tightly packed ash and soil, and devoid of any life. A green and yellow hue hung in the air, making the specks of dust floating almost sparkle in the cloudy sunlight. From here, Thell couldn’t see any sign of life.

“Meeting a friend,” Din said from his spot in the pilot’s chair. “The one who told me Grogu’s name.”

Thell’s eyes widened. “The... The Jedi?”

“Yes.”

Almost giddy with excitement, Thell followed him down into the cargo hold where he dropped the ramp, standing shoulder to shoulder with her as sunlight washed over the Razor Crest. She felt something brush her stomach, and looked down to see Din handing her her own blaster. She cocked her head in his direction. “You sure?”

“Yes,” he affirmed. “It was selfish of me not to train you. I know you can hold your own, but I’m staying with you... For every step.”

Thell reached for his hand, finding it instantly. “Thank you... and don’t worry. I won’t hit you this time.”

He chuckled under his breath, a noise Thell thought she hadn’t heard in weeks, and she wanted to rip off the helmet and kiss him all over again.

The village they approached was surrounded by a great wall, but with a single wave of the Mandalorian’s hand, the great wooden gates swung forward to usher them inside. It was a rather quiet town, dimly lit even during the hours of the setting sun, and the atmosphere felt starkly different than that of Kijimi. The people looked kind, smiling warmly as Thell walked with Din, staying close to his side with her blaster concealed. She looked on either side, her eyes catching the thatched roofs and double stories of the houses. Sometimes, she even saw children peek out, their eyes wide with wonder as they saw the Mandalorian. A calm washed over her, one she hadn’t felt in weeks.

She stopped when Din motioned her to, stepping up a masked guard in front of another set of double doors. They talked quietly for a moment while Thell waited, swaying on the balls of her feet while she glanced at the village.

“She’s outside the village,” she heard Din say as he approached her again. “She’s going to meet us there.”

She followed him back outside into the woods, where to her surprise, they wandered further and further. The dirt kicked up like ash under her feet, dead branches snapping like bones under her boots. Even though the forest was deathly quiet, it also seemed uninhabited, settling some of Thell’s nerves.

It was no sooner that they came upon a lithe hooded figure who turned their way as they approached. The woman dropped the hood, revealing herself to be a middle aged Togruta. Thell could only stare in awe as she approached, the gray cloak flowing at her ankles but revealing dark blue robes underneath and a belt holding her lightsabers. Thell had only ever seen holoimages of the weapon, and they were stunning being so close in actuality.

“I didn’t expect to see you again,” she said as they neared, her voice calm but her tone not patronizing like Thell thought it would be. This Jedi held an air of confidence and presence that Thell knew she herself could never hope to achieve, but she did so without coming off as arrogant or prideful, and it amazed Thell. She had always wanted to meet a Jedi.

Din leaned forward, clasping the woman’s arm as she smiled at him warmly. Her blue eyes traveled slowly to Thell, glancing at her with a small glint of curiosity.

_Kriff. She knows._

She wasn’t sure why she was embarrassed at the thought that this Jedi might know that Din and her were together, except that she had yet to tell anyone. Except the man who had pretended to be her father, that is.

“This is Thell,” Din said before she had to say anything herself. “She’s traveling with me.”

“My name is Ahsoka. It’s good to meet you,” she said, but a dark look grew over her blue eyes. “The child?”

Din went silent for a moment, looking away. “... He was taken by the Empire five weeks ago. I don’t know where he is. I... I was hoping you could find him with your... _powers.”_ Thell fought the urge to slap her hand over her mouth and laugh. She knew the stories of the Jedi from growing up, but it seemed Din knew far less then her.

She even saw the slightest glimmer of amusement in Ahsoka’s eyes. “My _powers_ will not physically guide me to Grogu, but I can sense his presence through the Force. Give me some time... I will try to contact him.”

She stepped away, her footsteps as light as wind itself. Thell watched in pure curiosity as she moved a yard or two away, gracefully sitting against a far log, her back to them. She didn’t move for the longest time, so Thell leaned against a tree, biding her time by inspecting her vambraces and running her fingers along the details of her necklace. Eventually she could feel Din’s presence at her side.

“Traveling with you?” Thell teased quietly.

She heard him huff under the helmet. “What was I supposed to say?” He asked, sounding genuinely innocent.

Thell threw a smirk in his direction. “She’s a Jedi. She probably knows we like each other. You know, the hand holding, the kissing... She’s probably able to sense it all.”

To her surprise, Din remained silent, standing with one leg bent as he looked down at her. “Thell... I don’t just like-" But he stopped as Thell sensed Ahsoka approaching them.

“He’s safe.”

Thell felt a weight lift off her chest, and she even saw the slight droop in Din’s shoulders. She felt immensely relieved, but still concerned as to where he was.

“Do you know where he is?” Din asked, stepping ahead of her.

Ahsoka sighed. “Grogu is smart, but scared.” Her eyes flickered to Din. “I told you that his attachment to you makes him vulnerable to his fears, but he has formed another attachment.”

When her eyes met Thell’s, she flinched like she had been shot. “With... Me?”

Ahsoka dipped her head. “You are family to him... I can sense a strong bond between you two. You must be very important to him.” She stepped to the side, running a hand over one lightsaber. “He is in an Imperial base waiting to be transported in a few days.”

“Where?” Din asked quickly.

“Sorgan, I believe.”

“Sorgan?” Din pressed. “There’s nothing on Sorgan but krill farms. I was there with the kid months ago.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure... The Empire is resourceful at hiding in plain sight.”

Din sighed, setting his hands on his hips, but Thell leaned forward, extending her hand.

“Thank you for all your help,” Thell said with a smile. “We really appreciate it. I’m honored to meet a Jedi.”

Ahsoka extended her hand in return, but as their hands touched, a grim look grew over her features, and Thell felt electricity ring through her body, like she had had once as a young girl. Is that what the Force felt like, and somehow Ahsoka was making it flow through her?

Breath hitching in her throat, Thell withdrew her hand just as Ahsoka’s eyebrows creased. “Thell...” She said slowly. “I sense much pain in you.”

Thell blinked. “What?”

“In the same way that I could feel Grogu’s thoughts when I met him, I can also feel yours,” Ahsoka explained. “Your pain... Your pain from your childhood and what you have experienced is blinding you.”

Something deep stabbed within Thell’s heard, a unopened wound that had long been left untouched. She wanted to run back to Din, get as far away from this Jedi as possible, so she could stop peeling back the layers Thell had only thought she had built up.

Thell shook her head frantically. “You don’t know me.”

“You’re pushing that pain away, Thell. You have been too hard on yourself for too long.”

“I... I’m not,” Thell pressed. “I’m fine.”

“... You haven’t accepted that you killed the man you believed was your father.”

Thell felt a spark of anger burn inside her, but then it was gone, as quickly as it came. Because she knew it was true. True, she had been emotional over it, but it was nothing compared to the aftereffects of her torture in the Empire base. No, it had been more personal, more emotional for herself and everything that her true father had stood for. And she had shoved it deep down, knowing that if she tried to deal with it, it might tear her apart.

Ahsoka stepped forward, grasping both of Thell’s hands. “You are distracting yourself... I can feel your thoughts, Thell. Your devotion to him and to Grogu is what drives you now... But you are inches from drowning in an ocean of hurt. It is perfectly acceptable to feel pain but you must let it pass by when it has done its work. You push it away because you want to move on, but pushing it down only makes it worse.”

No one had talked to her like this before, had known just exactly what was going on in her head, and the memories came at her like blaster fire.

Cold, white sheets covering her mother’s body, a maid hurrying her out of the room before she could properly process that her own mother had died.

The people she had thought of as friends, leaving her beaten and alone in an alley as a teenager.

The pirates she had killed on Pasanna and the stormtroopers standing guard outside the Razor Crest.

The nightmares that had plagued her for months aboard the ship and the planet where she had reunited with Din, and the immense guilt she had felt for abandoning Grogu.

And the father she would never know, the man who had pretended for almost a month to love her. His face was the only thing that flashed in her mind, second after second before it felt like she had lived an entire lifetime. His crazed hazel eyes, the barrel of his blaster pointed directly at her head, his threats against the only two beings she loved in this galaxy.

Thell stumbled, catching herself on Ahsoka’s arm and pressing a palm to her forehead, to the pounding headache that had formed in her skull. The Jedi’s words were strong in her mind.

“You can’t let the pain of past events linger into your future. Those fights... those painful circumstances... They are all _over._ You need to accept what happened, but you do not need to carry those burdens any longer. Let go of that pain... it has no control over you. Forgive yourself, Thell.”

It was like she had been transported back to the clifftops of Kijimi, blanketed in snow and sleet and a cold wind bruising her face. The man who had pretended to Theldar Avan was hunched feet from her, the wound from her blaster blazing like the moon in the middle of a dark night. Thell could feel the cold steel of her blaster gripped like ice in her hand.

_He was never your father. He was only a pawn in a larger game._

She squeezed her eyes shut, the headache pounding through her skull as she fought not to collapse. It was futile, and eventually she dropped to her knees, feeling cold water splash under her legs. Tears spilling from her eyes, Thell dug the heels of her palms into her eyes, letting the pain overwhelm her to the point of near insanity.

But there was someone there with her, a presence having kneeled directly in the water with her. They drew her hands away from her eyes, tucking back the hair that had been sticking to her face. A man, a few years younger than her, with hair just the same color as her’s, and beautiful green eyes to match. There was an indescribable warmness in his features, a certain comfort that he brought without even having to say a word. She knew without him even having to say anything: it was Theldar Avan, her true father.

Dropping to her knees in the forest, Thell gasped, both in pain and recognition of the weights that had been sitting on her heart for thirty years. All her life, from the very start, she had wanted to be her own person, but she had never realized what it would cost her. What it would cost those around her. She had been stripped of her identity as a daughter _and_ a servant, forced to build herself from the ground up. Forced to kill people and endure torture in the name of the people that she loved most. She had never expected it to happen; she had expected the Mandalorian to leave her on Coruscant after her one month ticket expired. She had expected to be sold off to another master, or killed on the streets of the city.

And here she was, six months later: knowing her parent’s story and exactly who they had been, physically stronger than she had ever been, and her future dreams filled solely with images of Din and the kid.

She heard Ahsoka’s voice through the blood pounding in her ears.

“It is okay to feel, to experience pain... But to not let it consume you, you have to acknowledge the beauty that already exists in your life. You have to remind yourself why you’re still fighting... because you’re _strong,_ Thell.”

She had been through hell and back, yes, but in return, she had gained so much, so many greater, more beautiful things: Flying through hyperspace, her eyes flooded with the powerful speed of starlight. The softness of grass under her feet and the scent of pines filling her nose for the first time. The warmth of the blanket offered by Din while she was sleeping, when she had only known him as Mando. A tiny green baby healing a blaster wound in her arm, telling him stories of the Jedi and the Rebellion in the safety of the Razor Crest. The first glimpse of her father’s armor. The reflection of firelight off Din’s armor as he tickled her in the field on Naboo, the way he smelt and felt under her hands the first night they kissed. Meeting person after person, planet after planet, traveling all over the galaxy with the baby she adored and the man she loved.

Even torn apart, her heart burned with a new fire for the kid. For Din. For what she had sacrificed and what he had sacrificed and everything in between. It felt like she was breathing new air, new life being forced into her lungs, and it was so beautiful Thell wept.

“What was that?” Thell panted as her vision cleared, hands on her knees. “How... How did I see him?”

“I recognized something in your Force energy when we touched... But I didn’t realize what it was until you opened yourself up,” Ahsoka explained. “Your father lived on Coruscant when I was training as a Padawan, and he spent most of his time in the Jedi Archives. He taught a few seminars during my time there.”

“You knew him?” Thell asked in amazement.

“In passing, yes... I knew his face.”

“But... what _exactly_ was that?”

“The Force... showing you what you needed to see,” Ahsoka said softly. “It is something that none of us could ever explain even if we tried. It is an ancient, mysterious thing... But one that you have been in close contact with for months.” When Thell’s brows creased, Ahsoka added, “Grogu. He is especially gifted with the Force. The Force flows through all beings. Some are more sensitive to it than others. Sometimes that energy can become... Unbalanced.”

Thell’s eyelids fluttered. “I’m... Force sensitive?”

“No,” Ahsoka said. “But even if not, some can still feel the balance greater than others. Especially when it is unbalanced within themselves.”

“W... Why did you do all that?” Thell panted. “You don’t even know me.”

Something bright gleamed in Ahsoka’s blue eyes. “When I see people in need of help, I will help them. Always.”

Thell swallowed, wiping sweat from her forehead and standing back to her feet. “I can’t... I can’t find the words to thank you. What... What do I do now?”

Since the first time since she met her, maybe an hour or two before, Ahsoka smiled. “This is a new day, Thell... A new beginning. That’s entirely up to you...” She leaned forward suddenly, almost nose to nose with Thell. “But a word of advice... Tell that Mandalorian you love him before he drives himself mad trying to say it first.” Thell could only lean back and watch Ahsoka in awe, the slight smirk on her face evident as she pulled away, her gaze moving back to Din.

“I’ll take you back to the city. You can stay the night in the Magistrate’s house... It looks like you two need a good nights rest after what you’ve been through. Grogu’s safe for now. He hasn’t been moved yet.”

Thell could sense Din looking at her, as if asking her permission, and she nodded. “Sure. That would be nice.” She went to follow after Ahsoka, falling into stride with the Mandalorian, and she felt his fingers brush up against her spine.

“Are you okay?” He asked, his voice unusually soft again.

“Yeah...” Thell said softly, the words true for once in her life. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had to write ahsoka. i just had to. i've loved her since i was eight and watching the clone wars for the first time... and i hope i did her some justice! i thought she was the most perfect character for this circumstances and for telling Thell what she needed to hear.   
> thank you for reading, i appreciate it so, so much!! :)))) 
> 
> <3, hannah


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven: Kar'ta

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is my favorite, for many reasons. you'll probably know why by the end of it.  
> good 'mood' song to listen to while reading this chapter! "these steady hands" by yonder dale.

Thanks to the generosity of the new Magistrate, they were offered a large room in the upper portion of the house. It overlooked the beautiful garden outside, the one with pools of water on both sides of a grand marble walkway. There were small trees too, and flowers of darker colors that twinkled in the overhead moonlight.

As Thell stood leaned against the windowsill, she let the warm air pass over her face, brushing her hair over her shoulders. She had taken what Ahsoka had told her to heart, every piece of it, down to the smallest details. She knew it would still take time to completely heal from everything she had been through, but her vision was clearer than it had ever been, her purpose steady. And her purpose was getting that kid home to them. But for now, she was thankful for the quiet of the bedroom, the calmness of the city outside, and the peace she felt within her own soul. Being alone for the past few hours had given her time to process everything she had seen, everything that Ahsoka had uncovered, even the things Thell herself hadn’t realized she had shoved down years ago. 

The door creaked behind her, alerting her of Din’s presence before he came tromping into the room. He had always walked with a loud, familiar step. She turned, letting her lower back rest against the windowsill. He had gone off to talk with Ahsoka while she had been shown their room, the one with  _ two  _ large beds, not one. At first glance, she had wondered what Din would think... Would he take one for himself, and one for her? Or would it be like that hut on that forest planet, curled up together under scratchy blankets?

She watched the Mandalorian set his rifle down, slinging a small bag over his shoulder to set on the floor. 

“Hi,” she greeted when he came close enough.

“Hey,” he said in return, his voice back to its grisly tone. “Have you eaten?”

Thell stretched her back, hearing a pop in her spine. “Yes. Someone came up and gave me something. Honestly, it wasn’t too bad.”

“Good,” he said, but Thell could tell there was something off with him, something about how tense his shoulders were and the stiff way he walked. Pulling away from the windowsill, she padded across the floor in her socks until she was right up next to him. 

“Are you okay?”

“Yes... Are you? How are you feeling?”

Thell shrugged, realizing he was avoiding her question. “I’m good.”

“You fell earlier...,” he said. “When we were in the woods with Ahsoka.”

Thell brushed her fingers against his arm. “She helped me to realize a lot of things, things I can’t even explain properly... I saw my dad, Din... My real father, just a glimpse of what he looked like. Nothing and everything that I had imagined him to be.”

“Was he real?”

Thell shook her head. “I don’t think so... I think he was just from Ahsoka’s memory. He was younger than me.” She squinted up at him, cocking her head. “Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t seem like it.”

“I’ve... I’ve been keeping something from you,” Din admitted.

Thell squeezed his arm. “That’s okay... I’ve kept things from you before.”

“No, no,” Din said, shaking his head. “It’s worse, I... When I was looking for you and the kid, Cara and I infiltrated an Imperial base to see if they had your names in the system.. But I...”

Thell waited hesitantly, noticing the way his shoulders had begun to tremble under his flight suit and armor. “Din, are you o-"

“I took off my helmet,” Din uttered. 

Her heart raced. “W... What?”

“I had to,” Din said quickly. “To get into the system... They knew Cara’s face, it would have set off the alarms... I didn’t have a choice.”

“Why were you so nervous to tell me?” Thell asked, leaning forward. “You know I wouldn’t judge you, regardless of what you did.”

“It’s... It’s not that.”

Thell cocked her head. “Then what is it?”

“... I don’t know what the Code means anymore. I mean, Dank Farrik, that Kriffing _ droid _ took it off so he could save my life last year. And then I’m running halfway across the galaxy with this  _ kid  _ and taking off my helmet to try and save you both.”

Thell hung back, rubbing her arms. “I can’t answer all of that for you... But I can say that you’re still honorable. You’re no less a Mandalorian because of what you did, I would say you’re even more so... You were just trying to get us back by risking your life and that’s honorable enough. I don’t judge you... Don’t be so hard on yourself, Din.”

He went quiet again, and Thell knew the gears were spinning, probably on fire, inside his head. Leaving him be, she squeezed his arm before stilling at his side.

“Maybe...” She started. “... Maybe it means deciding what exactly the Creed means  _ for  _ you, not  _ to  _ you.”

She left him standing in the middle of the room as she headed to the window again, letting him mull over his own thoughts. 

. . . .

Wildflowers in hand from the garden outside, Thell pushed open the door to their room, nearly jumping several feet in the air when she almost bumped into Din. 

“Kriff!” She cursed. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were in here.”

“I just got back.”

After she closed the door behind her, Thell noticed Din was carrying a strange brown sack in his arms and looking oddly stiff. He hadn’t come in with the bag originally, and Thell wondered if he had left while she had been out. “What’s that?”

“Your armor,” Din said without a beat. Thell could only stare at him, jaw open, as he poured the metal onto the bed, clanking against each other. She was too overwhelmed to speak for several seconds, dropping the flowers on the bed before she finally stuttered, “Din... Wh...?”

“After we got back, Ahsoka told me they had found Beskar pieces in the Magistrate’s palace, after I helped the people get the city back. So I brought it to a blacksmith in the city... And had him make it for you.”

“Are you joking with me?”

“No.”

“But I... I’m not really a Mandalorian,” Thell pressed. “My father was... But that doesn’t automatically make me one, right?”

Din swiveled to look at her. “There’s a lot of things that can make you Mandalorian. I don’t think it’s just about... growing up like one.”

Tears swelled at the back of Thell’s eyes. “Din... I don’t know what to say... Why didn’t you use it yourself? You could have made more armor to protect yourself.”

“You’re coming with me, aren’t you?” He asked, helmet sliding in her direction. “To get the kid.”

Her heart thundered in her chest. “I... If you’ll let me, I’ll go anywhere with you.”

Din dipped his head after staring at her for a long moment, and beckoned her forward. Thankfully, she was already wearing the tunic that he had attached her vambraces to. 

“There was only enough to make the shoulder pauldrons and the chestplate,” Din said, his gloved hands skimming over the metal on the bed. “But it should work well enough... Here.”

Thell blinked back tears, grateful and humbled all in one. She stood up straight, only catching a glimpse of the Beskar painted black, green, and gold, just like her father’s armor would have been, before Din was lifting it up. Din was slower than he usually was, taking every second to meticulously fit the Beskar armor to Thell’s clothes. The pauldrons were first, and after that came the chestplate. Din had her lift her arms so he could strap it on securely, being mindful of her chest and any underlying injuries that lay there. When it was on, and he stepped away, Thell lurched forward, surprised by the weight. She laughed, holding herself against Din’s arm before righting herself again. She shook out her shoulders, running her palms over the smooth metal. They were smaller and lither than Din’s, considering her size and height, but still strikingly beautiful. She murmured her thanks and sent Din a few cheesy smiles as she inspected the armor, running her fingers over the cool steel. They were heavy, no doubt, but they fit well. 

Tilting her head down, her eyes caught something as she inspected the chestplate, spotting something on the left side. It was a Mudhorn, the same symbol that Din wore on his right shoulder. Trembling fingers traced around the edges as she held back a sob, feeling the minute details of the metal. It was beautiful, perfectly crafted so it sat just right over her heart. When she looked back up at Din, he was already looking down at her, cold metal mask meeting her brown eyes. He was close to her, closer to her face than he had been since their kiss in the Razor Crest. Nothing else seemed to exist beyond the small room they were harboring in, nothing except the small sound of wind beyond the windows and the creaking of distant doors. 

The candles in the room reflected off of Din’s helmet, off his shoulder pauldron where his own Mudhorn symbol lay. He looked almost beautiful like this, surrounded by darkness on one side and the warm glow of fire on the other. A gloved hand went past her peripheral vision, tucking a stray lock of her hair behind her ear, like her mother used to do. 

“You look radiant,  _ kar’ta,” _ he whispered, the modulator crackling under his quiet voice. 

Thell beamed, tears building in her eyes. Din wasn’t a man of many words, especially words of affection like he had just spoken. This is exactly what she had wanted, after all this time.

“Thank you.... Din, can I ask you a question?” She breathed, to which he dipped his head once. “Its been six months... What does  _ kar’ta  _ mean?”

She watched as he remained silent, his hand falling back to his side. Her eyes glazed over him curiously, unknowing of his next move. He stayed as close to her as he had been as his hand suddenly lifted to his own head, his own helmet. Thell’s breath caught in her throat as she watched him quietly, memorizing the way he gingerly nudged the lip of his helmet upwards. Maybe he did it slowly, or ripped it off; she wasn’t quite sure. Because all of a sudden, before she could stop him or beg him not to, Din Djarin was peeling his helmet off and tossing it onto the bed beside them, and Thell Sai’Lya could actually  _ see him  _ for the very first time _.  _

“Heart,” was all that Din said, and Thell knew she would never love anyone as much as him. 

Din looked younger than she had expected, although there were definite lines of age that marked his face. Only a few scars, which she thought fit him; he wore the mask all the time, after all. He looked tired, but beautiful, absolutely beautiful. She couldn’t help but admire the strong bone structure under his skin, the way he held an equal amount of softness and ferocity in his features. His hair was brown, like he had told her all those months, short and wispy and curving around his forehead from where the helmet lay. But it was thick, soft to the touch like she knew already. The stubble she had felt from all those nights of kissing him was there too, darker around his upper lip but more scraggly around his jaw and chin. However, he still looked well groomed, like he had enough pride to care about the appearance that no one saw. Or maybe it was just for her, she didn’t know. Dark eyebrows and golden skin and a nose that curved outwards instead of inwards, unlike her own. He was beautiful, the most handsome and stunning person Thell had ever seen. It made her cheeks flare with color, actually seeing him face to face and realizing that she not only loved Din for  _ who  _ he was, but  _ what  _ he looked like, as well. It made it all the more special loving him, not having it the other way around by knowing what he had looked like first. Falling first for the person she knew him as, the actions he performed, the sacrifices he had made for her and the kid. He was beautiful, warm and easy on her eyes, a stark contrast to the hard exterior of his armor and cold disposition.

And brown eyes, exactly as he had told her all those months ago, yet nothing could compare to actually seeing them in full. A deep chocolate, filled to the brim with warmth that made Thell want to melt at his feet. His eyes were big, framed by dark lashes, full of life and wonder as he looked at her with his own eyes for the first time. It was like looking into his very soul. They completed him, giving him a nearly youthful look that sparked with so much kindness and compassion. He looked like someone who had forgotten that she could see his facial expressions now, every lift of his eyebrows, every curve of his lips. It was a face of a friend, a face she wanted to admire for the rest of her life. 

She reached up hesitantly, letting her hand linger when his eyes fluttered to her palm, as curious as the kid had looked the first night she met him. He visibly flinched when she raised her hand, and it hurt her soul. Her eyes met his again, and she could see how nervous he was, already understanding that he wore his emotions easily on his face. However, he didn’t move his eyes or his head in ways that a normal person would, unless they had lived their whole life wearing a helmet. There was a certain beauty, a uniqueness to the way he moved his facial muscles, one that Thell had never seen on anyone. He either moved his facial features too much or not at all; there was no in between. How long had it been, twenty, thirty years? So long since another living being had seen his actual face, looked into his own eyes. 

His eyebrows twitched just slightly, and he dipped his head slightly, granting her permission. Inhaling deeply, Thell ever so gently let the tips of her fingers connect to the skin on his cheek. He let out a heart shattering breath from deep within his chest, eyelids fluttering. She had touched him before, under the mystery of darkness, so she already knew how soft his skin felt. But watching it move under her touch, watching his eyes crease slightly, was different. She let her fingers glide down his cheek, brushing up against the stubble that had grown along his jaw. He closed his eyes as Thell moved her hand down his face, like her touch hurt him, or he just couldn’t believe it was happening.

Thell’s eyes flickered back to his closed ones again. “Am I dreaming?” She whispered. 

Warm air blew onto her fingers as he huffed under his breath, the right corner of his lip just twitching as he tried to smile. His eyes opened again, flickering around her face. “I hope not.”

Thell sighed softly, letting a small laugh pass over her throat as she raised her other hand, making his smile grow. His smile was like looking at the galaxy itself, bright and overdone, but absolutely perfect in Thell’s eyes. She thought she had never seen anything so beautiful. She traced her fingertips over the edges of his lips, the soft curves of the dimple on his right cheek, which only got deeper as she smiled back at him in pure, childlike wonder. She had never seen someone with a kinder smile. 

She cupped her hands over her mouth, trying to distill the sobs that were breaking up in her throat. His eyes twitched, flickering across her face, trying to decipher her emotions. 

“Din... What about the Creed?” Thell whispered.

His voice was just as soft, and it was mind boggling to actually see his lips move, feel his breath on her face as he spoke. “You asked me what the Creed meant for me... And it means the kid. And you. You  _ are _ my Creed.”

The tears didn’t stop coming as she raised her hands again, placing her palms flat against his cheeks.

Thell smiled widely and whispered, “You’re... You’re just beautiful. You’re so handsome, Din.”

His eyelids fluttered suddenly, and his head dipped in her hands as she felt him shudder under her touch. Concerned, Thell leaned in closer. “Din?”

“I love you.”

Thell blinked. Had she been hearing him correctly? She went to drop her hands, to blow out the candles or give him back his helmet so he felt more comfortable. Because she wondered if he suddenly was regretting taking off the mask, and that’s why he was shaking so hard. 

But his bare hands were suddenly wrapped around her wrists, secure, but gentle. And when she looked up at him, there was a glimmer of tears along his eyes, and his brows were twitching, like he was trying to control every muscle in his face. And his head was shaking, wisps of brown hair brushing his forehead and ears as he made eye contact with her again. The grips on her wrists moved upwards to her hands, gently enveloping them in his and holding them to his chest, just above the Beskar plates. Thell went to say something again, but Din was quicker. 

“I love you,” he repeated, his deep voice breaking, like the words were painful to voice out loud. “I love you, Thell... I love you.”

Thell’s breath caught in her throat. “You... You do?”

The slightest lift of his lip caught her attention, like he was trying to smile. “Yes... For longer than I’d realized.”

Thell sobbed, and Din released her hand so she could brush tears away from her eyes. “You never said it. All this time... ”

“I’m sorry I didn’t sooner,” he whispered, his hand moving to curl hair over her ear. 

Thell made a sound that was between a laugh and a sob, and shook her head. “Don’t be sorry... The only time I told you was over a Kriffing  _ commlink _ , and then I was just too scared to say it again. I thought you were, too.”

“I was never afraid of saying it...,” Din admitted, his brown gaze flickering. “Saying things is easy. It can be meaningless, or frugal. It would have been easy for me to just say those three words. But I didn’t want to when I knew I was just being selfish. Accepting them... Those words... That’s harder. Because the last time I loved someone, they were killed right in front of me. My parents... They were the last people I truly loved, before the kid. And I love him. But I didn’t have to say it to him... He just knew. It... It wasn’t like what we have, it's different. I feared for your life, Thell, and I withheld those feelings and those words from you because I didn’t want to watch you die, too. And I didn’t want to make you suffer when you would watch me die... I did it for selfish reasons, and it wasn’t worth any of your pain.”

He had never spoken so much at one time in front of her, and watching his lips move and his eyes dart around her face was all too overwhelmingly beautiful. Thell chewed on her bottom lip, moving her hand to caress his face again with her knuckles. 

“Say it again,” she whispered, and for a moment, she thought he wouldn’t catch on. His deep brown eyes moved across her’s until his brows just lifted, an almost exaggerated expression. She could see the shaking of his fingertips before he cupped her face, hands moving past her jaw and the tips of his fingers digging into the fine hairs behind her ears. Eyebrows creased, drawing lines between his eyes. Did he always look like this before he kissed her?

“I love you,  _ kar’ta, _ ” he whispered, his nose brushing her’s. 

Thell smiled warmly, noticing the adoration grow in his eyes. 

“I love you too,  _ runi.” _

And his mouth was on her’s, lips covering her’s in a soft, warm kiss that left her head spinning and her lungs aching for oxygen. She latched her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes so he didn’t have to bend his back down as much. Fingers found her hair, tangling against her scalp and pushing her even closer against him. Thell could hear the bump of Beskar against Beskar, their chest plates colliding... The armor he had made for Thell, the one with his Clan’s symbol engraved over her heart. She couldn’t think of anything more precious, and pulled Din closer, if that was even possible. When Din finally pulled away, he playfully nuzzled her cheek, making Thell giggle like a teenager. Normally when she kissed him and opened her eyes, she could only see his silhouette or the darkness of a bedroom. But here, surrounded by soft candles, the quiet ambiance of the city, and the lack of armor, she could see his eyes immediately. Pure, warm brown staring back at her.

Too overwhelmed with joy and happiness, Thell shrieked and threw herself around Din. He grunted, collapsing and bouncing on the bed beside them. She had thrown him so hard the bed frame collapsed under their weight, and Thell grunted, realizing the damage they had done as the wooden bed frame snapped under their combined weight. Eyes wide, she caught sight of the amusement in Din’s face, and couldn’t hold back the smile that grew on her lips. Hands squishing his cheeks, Thell peppered his face in kisses, not being able to keep the smile off her face as she watched him react to her. Chuckling under his breath, eyes squinting up at her, hands pushing at her softly. She couldn’t help from laughing too, kissing between his eyes. 

Suddenly his arms were around her waist, tugging her sideways as he moved to practically sit on top of her. Thell wheezed, the pressure of her Beskar chest plates and the weight of his nearly crushing her. But when she looked up at Din, he was smiling, his teeth actually showing, and she swore there was starlight in his eyes. Hands on either side of her head, dark hair falling past his eyes. 

Thell squirmed, pushing against him. “Up. You’re too heavy.”

He smirked, and actually seeing the expression on his face for the first time made her heart swell. It looked as if the expression came naturally to him, and it made Thell wonder how many times he had made it under the helmet because of something she had said or did.

“Rude,” he muttered with a sly grin before sliding over and pushing himself to his feet. Extending a hand, Din helped her back to her feet, where she ran a hand over her hair and peered at the destroyed bed. 

“... I can pay for that.” Din chuckled beside her before she caught him looking at her shyly from the corner of his eye. “What?”

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

Thell’s cheeks heated. “W, what? No, I didn’t. It was a complete accident. I wouldn’t  _ purposefully  _ break the items these people are so generously lending to us.”

He bumped up against her playfully. “You just wanted me to sleep in the same bed as you.”

Thell scrunched her lip and swatted at his chest, watching as he grinned joyfully and threw his hands up to stop her. “Kriff, you’ve always been good at embarrassing me, Din Djarin... But that’s not what I meant.”

He swept behind her, fingers trailing down the back of her arm. “No worries,  _ kar’ta.” _

Thell watched him leave, his head almost looking funny poking out from all that armor that made him look so much bigger than he actually was underneath. He was rummaging through his things, taking out different pieces of his own clothing, so she took it as a sign to gather her things and change for the night. 

When she returned from the fresher, Din was hunched over in the bed, looking down at a datapad he had retrieved from his pack. As she drew closer, she could see he wasn’t wearing the flight suit that lay under his armor, like he usually did. No, he looked like any other person Thell had seen during their months together: a loose brown shirt, one that had even tousled his dark hair and made it stick up in funny places, and dark pants that cuffed at his ankles. And socks; she had never even seen his feet without the boots before. Somehow, seeing him like this, in such soft, normal clothing, made him all the more real and precious to her. His head lifted as soon as she came close enough, looking at her expectantly with those endearing brown eyes while she stood in silence.

After a long moment, he looked her up and down. “What are you doing?”

“Thinking.”

“... About what?”

Thell shuffled her feet. “Just... You. Showing your face and being vulnerable like this.” There was a certain glitter in his eyes, a small crease of his eyebrows as he listened to her. “... I guess I just really haven’t thought about it until now.”

After a long moment of maintaining eye contact with her, Din pulled the blanket over his legs and gently peeled back the section where Thell was walking towards. Her arms were still held around her chest, fingers clinging to the loose sweater that hung around her hips, but she let them drop as she crawled onto the bed beside him. She didn’t pull the blankets up, instead letting them pool around her feet as she sat criss cross from him, hands in her lap. 

“If you had been able to hear my thoughts all these months, I’m pretty sure you would have thrown me out of the Razor Crest the first chance you got... I wondered what you looked like under that helmet since the first night I met you. That’s why I kept asking you things about yourself, but it’s funny. It’s like over time I realized that I would have been happy even if I never got to see your face... But that didn’t mean I still didn’t want to know what you looked like.” She leaned forward, finding both of his hands, warm and solid against her own, and holding them tight. “All I’m saying is that I’m very honored, Din, and I’m very grateful that you trust me enough to do this... I don’t think I could fully explain what it means to me.”

And where Thell spoke, Din remained quiet. She knew it wasn’t because he didn’t know what to say, he just said it differently than her. He leaned forward, kissing her lightly on the lips and lingering long enough that Thell could smell the material of his shirt. She grinned as he pulled back, close enough to see each individual lash on his eyelids. 

Pulling the blankets up to her shoulders, Thell scooted across the mattress to curl into Din’s open arm. He had put the datapad aside as he lay on his back, letting her lay her head on his shoulder as his free hand ran through her hair. 

“I know we need to rest for tomorrow,” Thell mumurmed. “... But I wish we could stay up all night.”

“Why?”

“... So I wouldn’t have to close my eyes and miss seeing your face.”

Din’s eyes flickered from her eyes to her mouth and back up again before he leaned over, cupping the back of her head and pressing his lips to her temple. He lingered for a few moments before pulling away and nuzzling his face into her neck. Thell’s breathing quickened when he kissed her throat, sending sparks up her spine and making her giggle. She gripped his arm, curling her fingers around his bicep, the strong muscle tensing under her hand. Din paused, breathing softly on her neck before pulling his head back. His hair had fallen across his forehead, and there was a slight color in his cheeks. 

As she tried to quiet her laughter, a small smile rose on Din’s face, like he knew something was up with her. “You remember that?” When Thell’s brows twitched, he kissed her throat again, making her squirm and push against his chest. “That night in the woods?”

Kissing him for the first time felt like years ago, before everything had gone to hell. She rolled, pressing her palm against his shoulder to push him onto his back. In the process, his shirt collar tucked down, exposing his collarbone to Thell and the smattering of scars across his chest. Breath catching in her throat, Thell’s eyes glued to the spot, she could only imagine the other scars that marked his body. He was a bounty hunter after all, a renowned Mandalorian, and he had witnessed more physical pain and battles than she would ever know. She was beginning to realize that while she had been caught up in her own terrors, Din was still living with his. 

Din hesitated for a moment, pushing back against her, but not in the playful way he had earlier. No, there was a small sense of fear in his face, a slight tremble of his shoulder under her hand. So Thell stilled, drawing her hand away. 

“I’m sorry, Din,” Thell mumurmed. “I shouldn’t have stared.”

Grabbing her hand again, Din tugged her back gently, shaking his head. “No one’s ever seen them... except you.”

He led her hand back to his neck, just close enough where Thell could brush her hand over the scars. Her eyes flickered back to his when he let out a shaky breath, and withdrew her hand again. He laid back against the pillow, his dark hair fanning out. Thell hovered over him, smoothing her hand down over his hair, curling her fingers at the ends. She blinked softly at Din, admiring his courage, even now. He wasn’t just allowing her to see his face, having altered the Creed, but the physical testament to his years as a killer. 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Thell promised, leaning down to kiss his cheek. “I’m not going to let anyone else hurt you... I’m going to take care of you now, Din.” She watched with trembling lips as a tear cascaded down the side of his face. “You’re not alone anymore,  _ runi.  _ We’re gonna get him back... And we’ll be a family again. I promise.”

She gave him a gentle kiss, meaning for it to only last a moment, but something told her to make it longer. When she did pull away, she kissed the tip of his nose, in between his eyes, on each of his cheeks, anywhere where he might have been hurt in the past and wanting him to remember something else. Something new. Something beautiful. 

“Keep that one candle on, in case you have nightmares... so you can see me,” Din said quietly before blowing out a candle by his side of the bed. “Wake me up if you need to... I won’t mind.”

Thell could only stare back at him in awe, wondering how in Kriff she had managed to end up finding someone like him. She beamed down at him, letting her finger twirl in a long strand of his hair. She could feel his hands hesitantly move to her waist, just gently rubbing down her side. “Thank you... For showing me your face. For everything.”

He didn’t respond, which Thell had expected, but his eyes spoke for him. After all this time, she didn’t have to guess his facial expressions. He was just inches from her now, even after she had blown out some candles on her side of the bed, making the room darker and creating shadows across his golden skin. Like always, since their time on Naboo, his hand was tangled in her’s, without the barrier of gloves. 

“Din,” she whispered just for him, in a galaxy of millions, to hear. “I love you.”

His brown eyes practically glowed. “I love you too, Thell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dang, okay.  
> all my feels are like at a hundred percent today. i had so much fun writing this chapter and really delving into what it would be like for din to open up to someone in such a hard way, with him showing his face to someone for the first time in decades. also, just getting to describe pedro pascal's face in detail was a treat. i would def react the same way thell did. and getting to write her reaction to him was also such a trip. i went over multiple scenarios for this scene and i'm really happy with the outcome... i hope you are too!  
> i hope you felt like it was true and genuine to his character... with a bit of softness and humor thrown in just for the heck of it, since these two are experiencing love for the first time. their relationship is tender and soft and i have never wanted to write it out of a lustful or solely a physical attraction for each other. nah fam, these kids are in LOVE W/ EACH OTHERS SOULS. 
> 
> another big thing... i move back to college today, and i'm not sure how busy i will be over the next few weeks. in any free time that i have, i will be writing this story. it means too much to me to leave it behind or stop writing completely... updates may be just be a little slower from now on!
> 
> thank you so much for reading!! writing this has been the most amazing journey.  
> <3, hannah


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight: Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I don't think anything could compare to the last chapter I wrote, like seriously, I am so overwhelmed by every single thing you guys said about the previous chapter. Leaving feedback and love like that just fills my heart!! Thank you so, so much for every word you guys wrote... It makes me so happy to know that you guys loved it. I have been waiting for that chapter to happen since I started writing this story back in November! I am so amazed that so many of you love this story, and I am so humbled that it has become so close to you. It means the absolute world to me. I believe this story will always be special to me, as it is the first story I will finish in my 12 years of writing.  
> I'm not sure how many chapters are left, but I wouldn't say more than ten... But do not worry! If there is enough interest, and I am intrigued enough, I actually do plan on writing a sequel. I love these characters so much and I love writing them, and I don't see myself taking a step back from them anytime soon. and thank you so much for all the well wishes with college <3  
> In saying this, I start classes on Tuesday, so after that updates will def be slower. But do not fear, my dear readers, I will not abandon this story or forget any of you that are waiting for the next update!! Din and Thell love you just as much as I do. :)
> 
> cw//: there is a VERY, very brief conversation on sex(no smut at all)

There was blood coating her hands, painting red streaks down her forearms and disappearing inside the fabric of her shirt. Just ahead of her, figure illuminated by the open window, a man stood hunched over, his arms dragging at his sides. Gold eyes stared back at her from the dark, piercing as sharp as a dagger.

Thell shot up, scrambling backwards against the sheets until she hit something warm. The form groaned, and Thell darted away, kicking her feet under the blankets. She could barely breathe, the breath from her throat hot and heavy as she pushed herself away. There was dampness on her arms and face, sweat mixed with tears. The form beside her moved, and a hand clasped down on her wrist, making Thell shriek.

“Thell, stop.”

She hadn’t realized she had been hitting him until he spoke, and Thell unfurled her fists, drawing them away from his chest. Din’s voice was calm, like coming home, and she blinked slowly, adjusting to the dim light from the single candle at her bedside. She could just make out Din’s face, dark hair pushed up against one side from his pillow, his brown eyes half lidded. But his brows were creased, his lips drawn into a frown. Seeing him again, after only seeing his face for less than an hour before, made her heart swell.

“You okay?” He asked softly, adjusting the hand on her arm to smooth his thumb over the inside of her wrist. Lip trembling, she leaned back, trying to put distance between them. She had promised to not let anyone hurt him again, and here she was, attacking him in her sleep.

“S-sorry,” she sobbed, running a shaky hand through her hair as she readjusted her pillow. She sensed him trying to reach for her again, and instead of turning away, Thell crushed herself to him. She heard the way his breath hitched as she curled into his chest, fingers furled into his shirt as she pressed her forehead into his collarbone. Drawing her legs up, her knees brushed his thighs from under the blankets. She didn’t cry, too shaken from the image to do anything but breathe in Din’s scent, feel his heartbeat against her shaking hands. He hesitated for a long moment before wrapping his arms over her, tangling one hand into her hair and scrunching it gently. Din was still shy, despite having removed his armor and helmet in front of her. He still moved slowly, as if unsure of his own movements.

She reached up slowly, finding his hair and running her hand through it, hearing him let out a low, content sigh. Thell peeked out from his chest, meeting the endearing brown eyes that had already been looking her way.

“How long is this going to last?” She whispered.

His hand ran down the back of her head, knuckles just lightly scraping over her cheek. “I don’t know... But I’m not letting you go until they do.”

“... And after?”

“Then, too.”

The next time she woke up, Thell was cold. Out of pure instinct, she reached her hand across the bed, trying to find Din. She had practically passed out after the nightmare, too exhausted from the events of that previous day to stay awake any longer. But the only thing her fingers touched were the cold sheets of the opposite side of the bed. Shocked, Thell’s eyes shot open, and she threw herself up, tossing the blankets past her legs. There was an indent in the bed where Din had slept beside her, but other than that, he had vanished.

She could feel her breathing pick up, the worry that was coming over her. Had he left her and already gone to rescue the kid on his own before she had woken up? Dim sunlight was already pouring into the room from the open window, cascading the walls and floor in gold. The sun was just rising. Her armor was lying on the floor where she had left it the night before, the painted Beskar shining beautifully in the morning light.

“Din?!” Thell called, nearing panic as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Light footsteps resounded from the fresher, and suddenly Din was swinging around the corner, his hair sticking up and a toothbrush in his hand. He looked slightly disheveled, his hair wet from the fresher and damp drops painting his forehead. Thell could only blink at him, amazed and confused by the sudden interaction. She still wasn’t used to seeing his face, to how it made her heart pound a little faster when their eyes actually met.

“You... You didn’t leave.”

“Why would I? We’re a Clan of three, aren’t we?”

Thell blushed, pushing hair over her ear. “Yeah... I guess we are.” Her eyes trailed to the armor on the floor, just waiting for her to wear it. Din approached her, extending a hand to help her out of bed. With a small blush, Thell took his hand, letting him lead her to the window. It was large enough that they could both sit on the windowsill, watching the sun rise above the distant trees. The city was quiet and still dark around them. They sat across from each other, Din with one leg bent at the knee while Thell held both her legs to her chest. It was strange, seeing him so up close and in natural light opposed to the candlelight from the night before. The sun shone like gold in his hair, even making his brown eyes gleam.

“How are you, _kar’ta_?” He asked softly, running his hand down the outside of her arm. Din had always been purposeful with what he said, never spilling like Thell knew she herself was capable of at any moment. Yes, he was still that way, but she was starting to notice how he let his guards down around her, how he acted less like a man in a metal suit and more like a human. His question wasn’t just a formality; she knew that. He was asking it on purpose, knowing first hand some of what she had gone through.

“I’m good,” Thell replied, finding his hand and bringing it up to shyly kiss his knuckle. When she looked up, his brown eyes were still on her’s, like they always were. She wondered if all that time under the helmet he had been doing the same thing. “I slept really well, besides the one thing... Din, I’m very grateful for everything you’ve done... Including showing me your face. You know it didn’t make me love you any less not knowing what you looked like.”

“I know.”

“... And I’m very grateful for you. I’ve never met anyone like you,” she said softly, and caught the gleam in his eyes. “I think I might have dreamed about you last night, but it doesn’t compare to this... Did I wake you up at all?”

Din shook his head. “Only the one time.”

“Good,” Thell said, and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and looking up at him, having to tilt her chin back. He seemed surprised by the action, still astounded by the smallest bits of affection she would show him. But he was warming up to her bit by bit, and gently held her biceps, running his thumbs along her sleeves. “And how are you, my _runi?”_

She saw the slightest twitch of his lip, like he was avoiding the smile threatening to creep onto his face. She wondered if he was embarrassed by how much the nickname affected him. A slow smile spread over his face and Thell’s heart sped up as he leaned down, meeting her lips to kiss her with the same gentleness he had shown her the night before. It was different from the others; Din was slower, as if he seemed to be more at peace after the night was over. She had already missed kissing him, especially like this. But it was gone quicker, as he suddenly pulled away, leaving her with a flushed face and electrified limbs. Thell ogled him, trying to understand him. It would take time for her to understand his expressions fully, even if he wore his soul on his face.

“What was that for?” She breathed, her head spinning.

Din smiled, rubbing his thumb over her ear. “‘Missed you,” he murmured before kissing her again, so gentle it made Thell melt against him. She hadn’t realized she had been nearly leaning into him until Din pulled away and squeezed her shoulder, holding her upright. She smiled goofily, opening her eyes back up to look at him. She could look at him forever like this, in different lights, different angles. This was her favorite so far: drying hair tousled, some dark strands glowing golden in the sunlight, his eyes even more illuminated by the yellow rays.

 _“Kriff,”_ she spluttered, nearly breathless.

His eyebrows twitched. “What?”

“I just keep forgetting how good looking you are.”

The array of emotions on his face ran wild, along with a sarcastic eye roll and a slight tint to his cheeks as he pushed Thell, playfully shoving her arms away. She laughed, poking at his chest to tease him.

“What?” She giggled, before Din had wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up off the windowsill and carrying her with one arm around her back and the other under her knees. “Din!”

She couldn’t stop laughing even as he wrestled her onto the bed, the wooden bed frame creaking underneath them. Thell pushed against him, pressing her palms into his shoulders and chest as he rolled on top of her, locking her legs under his weight. Din was laughing too, his mouth open in a wide smile so Thell could see his teeth and feel the rumble of his laughter in his chest. But he didn’t let her free, wrestling and tickling her all at once. Thell tried to cover her stomach as his fingers poked at her sides, making her shriek.

“Din!” She shouted, throwing her head back. “Stop it! I can’t breathe!”

She was joking, and he knew it, only laughing to himself as he bent down, kissing her firmly before Thell broke it, using the distraction to try and flip him over. But her arms only flailed uselessly when he pulled back, almost looking hurt, eventually finding her hands and locking them with his, pressing the back of her hands down into the blankets beside her head. Thell panted, trying to kick her legs up but realizing he was practically sitting on her, and much heavier than she had realized. Even without the armor, Din was still much larger than her, combined with his height and muscle mass. Thell felt like a loth cat under him. Finally, she calmed, knowing she wouldn’t be able to fight her way off him. It reminded her of Naboo, and how he had tickled her suddenly by the firelight until she had fallen into the grass. Everything seemed so different then.

And here she was, looking up at the man who loved her. Dark hair still drying from the shower, a loose shirt hanging off his sternum, and those endearing brown eyes that seemed to sparkle every time she looked at him. She hadn’t been so close to him before, having him practically sitting on her, and it was making goosebumps race up her arms. Did he enjoy her like this, her goofy side that always seemed to come out when they were together? Was she even doing any of this right?

His eyebrows creased suddenly. Sweet Din, always watching out for her, even when she didn’t realize it. Watching the concern spread over his face was almost humbling.

“What wrong?” He asked, his voice hoarse from laughing.

“This is just... Different,” she finally admitted.

Thell saw his throat bob as he started to pull away. He seemed to be feeling awkward enough to roll off her, sitting beside her instead so she was leaning right up against him when she pushed herself to sit up. Thell hadn’t meant to chase him away, so she reached for his hand, clutching it tightly over his leg.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, avoiding her gaze.

“No, it’s okay, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Thell reassured him, squeezing his hand. “I was just gonna say, I’ve just... I’ve never been, uh... Romantically involved with anyone before. Like, relationships and all of that. The most I’ve done is trying to tell someone I liked them when I was a teenager... I mean, it’s not like we’ve done anything, but everything feels different now that I can see your face.”

Din blinked hurriedly, a slight color rising on his cheeks even in the dim light. “I... I never expected you to do anything for me... I haven’t been in a situation like this... Either. So I don’t expect you to now.”

Her brows raised. “ _Oh._ Well, um... That makes two of us, then... I’ve, uh.” Thell paused, clearing her throat and running a hand nervously through her hair. She felt as if she had to tell him at some point, just to make it clear with him. So she went for it, clenching her jaw and speaking as fast as she could.

“I’ve never been intimate with anyone.”

She might as well have just slapped him with how red his face became. Maybe it was because he was used to wearing the helmet and no one could see his exaggerated facial expressions that he let it slide so easily. For a long moment he didn’t respond, only looking off past the room and to the window at the far edge. When it didn’t seem as if he would respond, Thell went to pull her hand away, but he only tightened his hold.

“I...” Din started, speaking quietly. “I haven’t either.”

Any worry she had lifted, and relief bubbled in her chest instead, making her shoulders sag. “Okay... I, um... I wasn’t going to ask you to do anything. I just wanted you to know.”

Din blinked rapidly. “No, no, no... I didn’t want you to feel pressured just because we shared our feelings. I’m not asking you to... Do.... Anything.”

Thell passed a hand over her face, shaking her head. “Yeah, no, I didn’t. I didn’t make you feel that way, did I?” She asked, pulling at his hand.

To her relief, Din shook his head too. “Not at all.”

Thell exhaled. “Okay. Good.”

After a quiet moment, she saw the smirk rise on Din’s face, and she couldn’t help but dig her face into her hands, feeling embarrassed. But Din was only smirking at her in a way that made her know he was feeling the exact same way, and instead they fell into an easy laughter, like they were lifelong friends. She pressed her forehead into his shoulder, enjoying the way he made her feel, how new everything was between them and how easy going he truly was.

“I... I can stop,” Din said after his laughing had subsided. “If anything makes you uncomfortable.”

Thell raised her hand, stopping him from moving any further. “No, really, it’s fine... I just don’t know if I’m any good at this... being romantic and all. I feel like I’m just... awkward with everything.”

When the smirk grew on Din’s face, Thell felt a little better. “I love you. Awkwardness and all.”

His comment, sweet and unprovoked, struck a chord deep within Thell’s heart. “I love you.”

Cupping a cheek, she leaned forward, meeting him halfway to kiss him gently. Just as she did, she heard a strange beeping sound a few feet from them. It continued to beep until Din groaned down her throat, finally breaking away and causing her to whine.

“What is that?”

Din shifted, hanging halfway across the bed as he leaned over to grab his commlink from his pillow. He clicked it, holding it close to his face. “Cara?”

“Hey, I think we should be good to go. I’ve got all the details on how to get inside. Doesn’t look like too rough of a job, actually.”

Thell watched carefully, studying Din’s face as he spoke back to her. It was funny watching him switch back to his “Mandalorian” side and how his face reset, all simple, hard lines again and an even tone of voice. “Good. I’ll pick you guys up on Nevarro in a few hours.”

“Sounds like a plan. See you then, Mando.”

He clicked the commlink again and threw it over his shoulder, spotting Thell looking at him from the corner of her eye. She raised a brow in question, and Din rubbed his palms over his knees.

“I spoke to Cara this morning, before you woke up, seeing if I could find anything on the kid. She had intel on the station located on Sorgan, some ex Imperial guy that knew how to get in.”

Thell felt tears brim in her eyes. “You mean...?”

Din finished for her, nodding as his own eyes became slightly watery. “Yeah. We’re getting the kid back.”

 _“Kriff,”_ Thell exhaled. “We’re really going to see him again.”

Thell threw her arms around him, hugging him as tight as she could while holding the back of his head. Nuzzling her head into his neck, she kissed his skin gently, feeling him hug her back just as tight. She scrunched her fingers into his hair, imagining days, maybe even hours, from now, when Grogu would be back with them, just like it was always supposed to be.

When Thell pulled away, wiping her tears on her sleeves, she asked, “You think he’s gonna be jealous? Of how much attention we give each other?”

Din smirked, a facial expression of his Thell would never tire of. “Maybe a bit. He’s pretty adamant about what he wants, anyway.”

Thell smiled warmly, running her hand down the side of his head. “I can’t believe we’re gonna see him again... After all this time.”

“Are you nervous?” He asked, and Thell knew what he meant. They were both risking their lives by doing this.

“... Yeah, actually I am,” Thell admitted. “I don’t really know what to expect.”

His hand rose to hold her cheek. “We’ll protect each other. _Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum, kar’ta..._ It’s not just... me saying I love you. It’s an oath, the same as the armor you wear and the insignia on your chest and my shoulder... We’re one now, Thell, and I won’t leave you alone, not ever again. We’re doing this together.”

Tears brimming, Thell nodded, squeezing his hand. “Together.”

. . . .

“So, what is the plan?”

Cara Dune and Greef Karga sat in the cockpit of the Razor Crest with Thell and Din, leaned over the blueprints to the base on Sorgan. It was strange seeing Din in the armor again, knowing exactly who lay underneath. To the other two, it was completely normal, except Thell did catch Cara sending the two of them more than a few suspicious glances every now and then. They were hovering over Nevarro, sat in the Crest talking over the plans of infiltrating the base on Sorgan. Thell was wearing her armor, having to learn to stand a specific way so the metal didn’t tug her down as much.

“There’s transport vehicles that take shipments to this point... A train system along the woods that ends here,” Cara said, pointing to a specific spot on the map. “It doesn’t look like there's anything there, but my guy said that’s where the shuttles come to pick up shipments. I’m guessing that’s where the kid is being sent.”

Karga peered over her shoulder. “So, you’re saying we have to infiltrate a moving train?”

Cara shrugged. “Looks like it. Otherwise, we would need the clearance codes to get into the actual base, and my contact didn’t have those. All of his were pre Republic. If you want the kid back, the only way is through that train. Cut into its belly, make our way through the pods, and find the kid.”

“It seems too easy,” Din added, the first time he had spoken in an hour. Thell stood next to him, almost shoulder to shoulder. Cara glanced at him from the other edge of the cockpit.

“If you want the kid back, Mando, it’s our only option.”

Thell could see the slow lift of his shoulders; he seemed frustrated. “Fine. Thell and I will take the train, Cara, Greef, I need you to find a way to get us on it. Once we’re inside, I need you to get to that clearing and make sure the shipment doesn’t enter a shuttle... Just in case we can’t get to the kid fast enough. You need to intercept before anything gets packed onto the shuttle.”

Thell made eye contact with Cara for the briefest moment before the marshal looked back at Din. “We’ll do what we can. We have your back.” Thell’s heart warmed at their interactions with Din, knowing they had history with him she didn’t, and they cared for him just the same.

“What happened between you two?” Cara asked, and their heads equally swiveled in her direction.

“What?” Din asked.

Cara squinted in their direction. “You’re...” she started, but eventually waved a hand over her face. “Nevermind.”

After a long moment, Din stood up from the pilot’s seat, giving Thell’s arm a gentle squeeze before sweeping past her and Cara and down into the cargo hold. Karga followed, making quiet conversation with Din as they vanished, leaving Thell alone with the marshal. She chewed her lip, eyes flickering to the side to see Cara already looking at her.

“Nice armor, kid.”

Thell touched her shoulder pauldron subconsciously. “Thanks... Din had it made for me.”

“He put the Mudhorn on there, too?” Cara asked.

Thell’s cheeks blazed with color, and she turned the other way, looking out the cockpit into space. “Uh... Yeah, he did. It’s more than a symbol, actually... It means so much more,” Thell explained, briefly wondering how much she should tell Cara. How many details did Din want his friends to know? He hadn’t openly told them that they were together, or even part of the same Clan, but his physical actions, his closeness to her, seemed an answer enough.

“Still feel like you’re talking to a statue?” Cara asked, and Thell’s mind went back to the first time she met Cara, all those months ago Nevarro.

_“You guys are good for each other. You balance each other out,” Cara added._

_Thell huffed. “I try. Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to a statue.”_

_“Give it time,” Cara said with a well meaning smile. “He’ll get there.”_

She ran her fingers over the smooth edges of her necklace, shaking her head. “No. It hasn’t been that way for a long time, actually. Ever since we reunited, well, before actually, it’s been different. He’s been so vulnerable with me. He’s... Kind. And warm. He... _understands_ me, and we both help each other feel a little less alone.”

Cara was watching her with sparkling eyes, and she leaned forward, squeezing Thell’s shoulder and giving her another well meaning smile. “I’m glad you two have each other. He needed someone besides the kid to bring him back down to earth.”

Before she could leave, Thell bent over the seat. “Cara!” When she turned back around, Thell smiled. “Thank you for answering that call that day... He would have never found me if you hadn’t answered.”

Cara tilted her head, a hand resting on the neckline of her chest plates. “I don’t think that’s true. I’d think he’d do just about anything to find you... He nearly killed himself trying to get back to you and the kid.”

Cara moved away, leaving Thell alone in the cockpit to look at the stars overhead. Grogu was waiting for them, she was sure of it. And she couldn’t wait for the moment he would come running into Din’s arms, and her’s, and they would be a Clan again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you so so much for reading and supporting not only my work but ME as well! I have never had people react to my writing like this, first of all because I have always been hesitant that no one will read it or even like it... But I have been so caught by surprise by this whole thing. I will update you as college moves along, and I won't keep you waiting too long for the next update.  
> Until then!!  
> <3, Hannah


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine: Downpour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my friends! it feels like forever since ive done this... i've already settled back into college and loving it as usual! i got to walk our campus' farm dog today and wow, my serotonin levels are so high because of it.   
> i'm having a bit of trouble getting back into the zone for writing this, so i tried to spend extra time making this chapter special... so i hope you enjoy it!! one chapter closer to seeing our precious green baby again!! :')))

“Are you sure about this?” Thell asked as Din rechecked her Beskar armor, making sure the pieces were secure. She had practically begged Din time and time again to have a chance to save the kid, but now that it was actually here, she couldn’t help the nervousness that crept into her skin. They had already landed on Sorgan, a few miles from the base in the middle of the woods. Even from inside the Crest, Thell could hear the clang of rain against the steel exterior of the ship. Now this was real for her, the danger and possible death they were willing to face to save the kid. 

“Yes,” was all that Din said.

Karga and Cara muttered between themselves, sometimes laughing loudly and breaking the cold silence of the Razor Crest. They had their wide array of weapons strapped onto belts and packs, just beginning to head outside. From here, Thell could see the pouring rain, the huge puddles left in its wake. 

“We’ll meet you guys down in a minute,” Din said, closing the telescopic ramp behind Cara and Karga and sealing them inside. From her spot sitting with her legs hanging off the sleeping pod, Thell watched him carefully. He had been quiet on their trip to Sorgan, more so than usual. Thell had wanted to reach out to him, but out of respect for them both, had hung back, only going to grip his hand or his arm when no one was looking. He was always quick to respond, squeezing her hand back so tight she thought it might fall off. Was he only nervous about seeing the kid? Thell herself had been worried about seeing the kid again... last time she had seen him, he was exhausted, bound by restraints and scared. 

“Din?” Thell called softly, watching his shoulders rise and fall as he looked over his array of weapons inside the hold. He stayed silent, so Thell hopped off the bed and padded in his direction. When she got close enough, she squeezed his arm, in the space where there was only fabric and no Beskar. But she couldn't see his face... She hadn’t seen his face in hours. She knew it would be normal, especially in the presence of others, but she couldn’t help but miss his face. She had known him for six months with the helmet on... So shouldn’t she be used to this?

“Din?” She asked again, softer this time. His helmet visor was glued to the weapons rack, but his hands were still, resting at his sides. “ _ Runi?” _

He responded then, slowly moving his gloved hands to his helmet and lifting. When he pulled the helmet away, his hair stuck to the inside of it, making it look frazzled as he set it down in front of him. It still amazed her every time he removed the helmet, just the fact that he was comfortable enough in front of her to keep doing it. She loved the way his nose curved outwards and the quiet strength he held in his features, despite how conflicted he looked. Thell’s eyes traveled over his face, trying to understand despite the blank look he was giving her. Despite that, he eventually tilted his head to look at her, brown eyes filled with a storm of emotions. 

“I need you to stay close to me... I need you to follow my lead the entire time,” Din said. “That man... He taught you to fight but just stay behind me, okay?”

Thell nodded. “Yeah, I understand. I will.”

“I just need you to be safe...”

Thell tightened her grip on his arm. “I will be. I’ll have you there with me... and I’m watching out for you, too. Don’t forget that.”

Din’s gaze flickered between her eyes to her mouth and back up again. Understanding him without words, Thell leaned in, meeting him halfway as he cupped her jaw. She hadn’t realized how scared she was until she kissed him, wondering if it would be the last time. So she turned fully, wrapping her arms over his neck so he could be as close as possible and running her hands through his hair. Din seemed to sense her urgency, arms wrapping tight around her waist and almost lifting her from the floor.

She broke away for just a moment, pressing her forehead to his and whispering, “I miss Naboo, Din.”

A hand came up to curl hair behind her ear. “The moment we get off this Kriffing planet, I’ll take you anywhere you want,  _ kar’ta.” _

She bent forward again as his hands cupped behind her head, tangling in her hair. Even though she had initiated it, Din was kissing her passionately, different than they had ever kissed, like he needed her to breathe. It made her skin warm and made her face flush with color. Even when she went to pull away, Thell could only inhale sharply before he kissed her again, his stubble scratching her face. Part of her wished that they were still in that bedroom from the night before, with their safety secured for the time being and the thought of death not looming over their heads. But it was a selfish thought, because Din’s kid was waiting for them miles from where they stood now. And she knew she didn’t even have to tell Din that she loved him right then and there, or share every word that was burning in her heart since the previous night... His actions were enough to know he already understood.

When she broke away, she could feel tears in her eyes as she held onto Din by his shoulders. He looked dazed, the pupils in his dark eyes blown wide. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked as he noticed her own expression, the haze disappearing and concern growing over his face. 

Thell shrugged, trying to avoid a breakdown. “Do you think he’ll even want to see me again? ... After I left him in that base?”

Din gripped her waist, pulling her close again. It wasn’t rough; Din had never been that way with her, not even before they both realized they loved each other. Instead, she realized he was trying to get her attention, making her listen to him fully and only center on him. He knew she was prone to worrying about the future.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Din said, almost sternly, which made Thell’s lip tremble. “You did as much as you could, but it doesn’t matter anymore... He’s waiting for us, Thell.  _ Both  _ of us.”

“I... I feel like he won’t trust me like he did.”

“You know what Ahsoka said... He’s formed an attachment to you. And it’s been  _ five weeks.  _ You really think he won't want to see you?” Thell beamed at him just as he extended his hand. “Now, come on... We have a little womp rat to rescue.”

. . . . 

Sorgan looked like the other forest planets Din and Thell had visited, but the undergrowth was only covered in pine needles from the surroundings trees. The trunks themselves were large, able to hide one or two of them behind a tree if needed. It also provided ample protection from the rain pouring down on them, the thundering of monstrous clouds overhead. 

Thell wiped a hand against her forehead, splattering raindrops off her skin and mentally thanking Din for the dark raincoat he had given her. It was the only thing keeping her from becoming completely drenched in the middle of the woods. The sky was dark overhead, casting ominous shadows on the ground, making the trees quake like strange creatures in the dark. Cara was leading the group, Thell and Din in the middle with Karga trailing behind. She kept as close to the Mandalorian as possible without outright stepping over his own feet or pressing herself up against him, which she wished she could. She knew they needed to get the kid back, they had to, but it meant putting both of them in harm’s way. Thell knew she could fight, not as well as she liked, but it comforted her to know that Din would be with her every step of the way. 

“Alright, we’re just coming up on the base,” Cara warned over their comm system. Thell had put it in her ear opposed to her wrist, knowing it could blow their cover if the speaker became too loud. They had been walking for under an hour, keeping a brisk pace as they made their way to the Imperial base. 

Thell followed suit as they crouched behind a rise in the forest, peeking just above the crest and peering out into the forest. Even through the darkness and pouring rain, Thell could make out the blinding white lights and transport vehicles of the Empire base shrouded in trees and vines. Even from their spot hidden in the forest, Thell could see the gleaming white armor of stormtroopers and the dark suits of Empire generals. There were several milling around the entrance, unloading transport vehicles and disappearing into a chasm that must have led inside the base. She could also see the entrance to where the train led out from inside the base, and the metal grid that the train ran along. Thell wiped water out of her eyes again, and Din seemed to notice, tugging the front of her coat down over her forehead. She hadn’t even realized he had been watching her, and reached out, squeezing the underside of his hand to thank him. 

Something whirred beyond the woods, like a high pitched whistle, and Thell peeked over to see the train approaching. She had seen several on Bespin throughout her life, but none as dynamic or fast moving as this one. It was a sleek gray, gleaming in the bright lights from the rain on its metal exterior. They watched it speed by, whipping the leaves off trees even in the downpour. It slowed, brakes squeaking like it was on ice, until coming to a near standstill as it disappeared down the entrance into the base.

“20T Railcrawler, I think, but it’s different than the ones I’ve seen... Used by the Empire during the Rebellion,” Cara explained over the comms. “It looks like we could get you on top of the entryway, and you could hop down. You guys gotta be careful once you get on, though. If that thing takes a sharp turn, it’ll rotate.”

“Rotate?!” Thell nearly yelled over the comms, finding all eyes on her. She swallowed harshly before saying quietly, “Sorry... It’s going to what?”

“If there's a tight curve,” Cara explained. “The train rotates to the side on the tracks, even upside down if it has to. You guys need to get inside that thing as soon as you can. There should only be two passengers, the driver and the engineer.”

“At least that’s what there usually is,” Din added, turning his head towards them. “The kid’s going to be on that train. There'll be troopers guarding him.”

Thell saw Cara’s flicker downwards, and then back up towards the direction of the train. “You’re right... You guys gotta be extra careful in there.”

“We will be.”

“Mando,” Karga said, reaching out. “We’ll be waiting for you at the end of the tracks... All of you.”

Thell’s heart felt as if it would burst from her chest. Here she was, six months into this crazy adventure with a bounty hunter and a green baby, and now these people, who barely knew her, were risking their lives for all three of them. They were going to get Grogu back, and for once, they weren’t alone. They had people, these two that had also become like family to Din, long before she knew them. Who else would they meet along the way, with those they had already met, like Bo, Ahsoka, Bolie, and the women who had rescued her?

Din leaned forward, helmet almost touching her forehead as he spoke quietly, cutting off his commlink. Rain painted his helmet, both of their armor in gleaming streaks. She had seen him like this before, had seen the glint of sun off his Beskar and the front of snowflakes on his chest plates. The rain was almost gentle compared to all of that, like tears on the metal. 

“Stay close to me,” was all that Din said. He was a man of few words, after all, and Thell knew there was more meaning to those four words than just what he said. She would stay close to him, even after all of this was over, for as long as the time in the galaxy allowed them. 

Cara ducked over the ridge first, holding a long blaster and keeping her head low as she ducked under the pines. Karga followed close behind, a blaster pointed in the direction of the troopers as they flew silently down the hill. Thell could only watch them with a pounding heart, not knowing exactly of their plan, but they seemed to be following through with it. Watching them sneak behind crates and shipping barrels was almost beautiful, sliding past fleets of troopers and officers in complete secret. She was amazed by their courage and confidence in sneaking around the base, slowly but surely picking themselves a clean trail. Cara would grab a trooper, headlock him, and send him to the ground while Karga watched her back, never firing, never revealing their position. For the most part, the ground seemed calmed, even amongst the pouring rain and booming thunder overhead. 

That was until she felt a tight grip on her wrist, pulling her up from the ground. But her legs seemed to have locked, her knees digging into the wet dirt and glueing her there. She could hear someone talking to her, but it seemed far away, like a distant memory. 

It was like she was suddenly stuck in the memory of several months ago, when Din had first taught her how to shoot with a blaster. She had been hesitant then, even refusing when Din had put the weapon in her hands. His words, well meaning and direct, came back to her:

_ “You can’t ask yourself those questions when you're forced in the moment. But you can decide right now whether or not the kid is that important to you.” _

And there was that hot grip on her arm again, tighter this time, and Din’s voice modulated through the helmet. “Thell! Hey, Cara cleared us a path. We have to go.”

She slowly turned to look at him, or rather, the helmet that concealed the face of the man she loved... However, she was beginning to realize she did love him both with and without the helmet. She had come to love his soul first, months before she had ever even felt his skin or seen his eyes. Looking at the helmet, after all this time, was almost comforting. She knew that when he looked back at her, he understood what she was feeling, the turmoil for everything this year had put them both through. And here they were, shrouded under a downpour and hours, maybe even minutes, away from the kid they both loved so much. 

Thell nodded, just once, just to show him that she was ready. And his gloved hand came up, the wet material brushing away wet locks of hair from in front of her eyes, like he always did. But to her surprise, he didn’t let it linger, instead moving his hand to her right vambrace, tracing his thumb over the symbol of her father’s clan, Clan Eldar, embossed on her Beskar. It was a simple move, and could have meant nothing, but Thell knew better. She wasn’t doing this for just the kid, yes, her main reason... But not the only one. 

They were both doing it for her father, Theldar Avan, the man he had actually been and everything he had sacrificed to give her a chance at living in a peaceful galaxy. Maybe this wasn’t what he had exactly pictured for Thell, but she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Din and Grogu were her home. 

Thell slung the blaster Din had given her all those months ago into her hand, for once gripping it with a sure certainty. Following Din's heels, she crouched low, ducking under low hanging branches as they descended the hill and hit the concrete of the base’s platform. The surface was hard, almost slippery under her boots as she scrambled to find a hiding spot with the Mandalorian. Eyes glazing the surrounding area before she ducked behind a crate with Din, she could only spot a few remaining troopers in the area. A commotion hadn’t broken out yet, and their presence hadn’t been alerted, easing Thell’s anxiety. The rain didn’t help either; it made everything harder to make out in the haze and made the surface slippery under her shoes. 

She kept her eyes on Din the whole time, watching him completely transform as a trooper walked past the crate, and Din’s arm flew out, whipping him forward in one fluid motion. The trooper yelled before colliding with the ground, the armor on his chest plate cracking into pieces as Din secured him, keeping one arm wrapped around his neck as he strangled him. The man wriggled violently until he suddenly went still, and Din released, hunched over his body in the pouring rain.

Thell hadn’t seen Din kill many people, but she knew she shouldn’t be surprised; he was a bounty hunter, after all. She wasn’t any better off for judging him, having killed people herself. 

But she didn’t have much time to look before Din was moving again, keeping one arm out to warn Thell silently. A specific motion for “stay back”, another for “duck”. It had all become as easy as physically speaking to him, and Thell followed exactly. They moved silently, their footsteps and splashes in the puddles in the concrete practically silenced by the crackle of thunder overhead and clatter of rain against distant metal. They managed to catch up with Cara and Karga, who were crouched behind a large transport vehicle. They were drenched, Cara’s dark hair even blacker than before. Both were panting, their blasters smoking in the rain. 

“We haven’t been noticed yet,” Cara said through the comm system. “But if we stay here much longer, we will be. We need to get you guys on that train.”

“What are you thinking?” Din asked. 

Cara peeked over the hood of the vehicle, scanning their surroundings. “The entry point of the train system has a flat surface on top. We could get you guys up there, have you hop down once the train gets moving again.”

“And getting inside?”

“Grates on the outside,” Cara explained. “There's rails on the sides if you fall, and each car should have an entry point on the top. Use thermal detonators to get them open, it’s the only way. I would say the kid would be somewhere in one of the middle cars, and probably guarded on both sides. Don’t take  _ any  _ chances. Get in there, and get out  _ quick. _ As soon as the troopers know something’s up, they’ll radio for backup, might even stop the train if they have to.”

Din nodded just as Karga spoke. “As soon as we know you’re on the train, we’ll head to the dropoff point and wait for you there.”

“Mando... You need to get the kid before that point,” Cara said, her voice and face hard. “If that cruiser arrives before you...”

“I know. I will.”

Cara stared at him for a long moment, rain on her eyelashes before she gave Karga a quick glance. “We’ll be there. Radio us when you have the kid, and we’ll get you out of there.”

Din gripped Cara’s arm, shaking hard before also doing the same to Karga. Thell didn’t waste another moment and wrapped her arms over the woman’s shoulders, feeling her tense at the unexpected action. Cara didn’t hug her back, instead settling for giving her a single pat on the shoulder before Thell drew away, and hugged Karga. He seemed warmer, patting Thell’s back and saying, “Take care of each other,” before she drew away again. The four stayed like that for a moment, their eyes holding secret, unspoken things, before Thell felt Din’s hand on her arm, pulling her away. There was something bittersweet about leaving them that made Thell’s heart swell with courage; they were watching after them, making sure with everything they had to get the kid back. 

They ducked behind more storage containers and transport vehicles, rain smattering their armor and thunder causing the ground to quake under their feet. Din ran only feet ahead of Thell, and she had to skid on her heels to stop when he did, raising his blaster and firing immediately. Only when they continued to run did Thell notice the smoking body of a stormtrooper lying in a puddle. 

She could hear commotion behind them, the sudden energy of a firefight happening just yards beyond her. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder, seeing blue and yellow bolts of blaster shots firing in opposite directions, but not towards them. It was Cara and Karga, risking their lives to get Din and Thell on that train safely. 

She turned and ran after Din, her blaster bouncing in her arms and the armor heavy on her body. The entryway to the train was just ahead of them, a rectangular opening carved into stone that disappeared into a deep cavern beyond. Trees and roots surrounded it, creating a ghostly effect in the reflection of yellow lightning in the sky. Just their luck, there was an old staircase secured to the side, and Thell watched as Din secured his blaster in the side holster and hoisted himself up onto the ladder. She peeked around the base, blaster hot as she pointed it in all directions, watching the Mandalorian’s back. 

“Thell!” He called after a moment. 

Looking up, he was only feet above her, but far enough where his extended hand couldn’t reach her. Swallowing nervously, Thell shoved the hood of her raincoat down and threw her blaster up to Din, wrapping her fingers around the steps of the ladder. It was like climbing the ladder up to the cockpit of the Razor Crest, except it was actually nothing like that. Thell was nervous, her hands shaking on the slippery bars as she climbed towards Din. She heard him unload a shot with his blaster and climbed faster, grabbing the hand extending for her and hopping up onto the platform beside him. 

From here, she could see the entirety of the base, the main entrance where the transport vehicles entered, the hidden antennas on the top of the stone building, the troopers still firing at Cara and Karga. But for the moment, Din and Thell seemed safe, now only waiting for the train to appear right under their feet. 

“Cara,” Thell heard Din say through the commlink system. 

“We’ve got this! The train should be coming any second!” Din hesitated for a moment, and Thell wondered if he would say something again, but Cara spoke before him, just as the platform started rumbling under their feet. “Go! Get your kid!”

When Thell went to look at Din, she already found him looking right back at her. It still sent shockwaves through her, made her heart pound a little faster when he did that, just knowing that he cared about her enough. His feelings were as true and as rich as her’s, after all this time. He was pushing something into her hand, a single thermal detonator. 

“I’m going to set them off to get inside, but if you get stuck...,” Din paused, the visor still staring steadily at her. “... Or something. Just use it wisely, only when you need to.”

Thell nodded, shoving it down into a spare pocket right as Din grabbed her hand. That flashback was strongest, the first night he had moved to extend his hand after first rejecting her touch. That quiet night on Naboo all those months ago when the Din she knew now was just beginning to reveal himself. Holding his hand now felt like doing it all over for the first time again, those same feelings of trust and gentleness rising like a tidal wave. 

The platform was shaking under their feet, and any moment now they would jump off to rescue the kid. In the distance, she could still spot the vivid colors of blaster fire, the reflection of white off the dark puddles in the concrete. 

And Din’s voice, shaking her back to reality. “Don’t be afraid.”

She smiled up at him, despite the rain, because she wasn’t.

Not if she was with him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading!! this story WILL be completed, by the power within me! it means too much to me to leave it forever. i appreciate so many of you sticking around and supporting and loving it :) love ya'll!!


	31. Chapter Thirty: Infiltration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my friends!! i hope i didn't keep you waiting too long! college is back in the swing of things for me, but i work on this in any free time that i have! we are nearly there!!  
> sadly, i would think there would be less than five chapters left after this one. but no worries, i may have a sequel in mind that i will touch on more after the story is finished. ;)

Hitting the roof of the train was like landing on solid concrete. The jump from the platform wasn’t a long drop, but Din grabbed Thell’s waist anyway, helping stop some of the momentum that shook her legs. Her ankles nearly crumbled underneath her as they hit the solid steel of the train, but Din was right beside her, keeping her from hitting the train. The train was moving slow, but gingerly gaining speed as Din pressed a hand into her back, raindrops ricocheting off his armor. Thell tugged the hood of her raincoat forward, rain spitting like ice on her face and exposed neck.

“Down,” she heard Din say through the commlink.

Above the pounding rain, and the loud whirr of the train system, Thell could still hear the blaster fire in the courtyard. A quick glance to the right and she could spot the small forms of Cara and Greef plowing through stormtroopers, the red blaster shots illuminating the darkness of the courtyard. They disappeared as the train turned a mild corner, and Thell nearly fell on her stomach. Instead, she slowly lowered herself down, her knees digging into the wet steel of the train as Din crouched beside her. The Beskar looked beautiful as always, and even more so because Thell knew exactly who was hiding underneath it. For the second time that day, her mind wandered back to the room where they had slept the night previous, to seeing Din’s face, his brown eyes for the first time. It still overwhelmed her soul that someone like him had ever considered someone like her worth dying for, worth changing his Creed for. He had been a stranger six, almost seven, months ago, a stranger who she wondered would kill her on sight if she tried anything. Now, after risking their lives for each other and for the kid, he was her best friend, her closest companion... A man whose soul reflected her own loneliness and need to belong.

Trees whipped past them on both sides, almost blurring with the dark landscape. It was colder like this, and the chill bit at Thell’s skin, making her lips tremble. The train was only getting faster, gaining more and more ground as it plowed through the woods. Din was messing with something on his belt, reaching down to a grate in the roof of the train to attach a thermal detonator to the door. Without needing to verbally tell her, Thell shrunk back just as he armed the weapon, the red light flashing just before Din shielded Thell with half of his body. She flinched as the weapon exploded, creating a rumble in the train under her feet. Din moved fast, chucking the remnants of the twisted grate off the panel and into the woods. He extended an arm, beckoning her forward just as he took a quick look into the train below them and descended swiftly into its belly. Thell peered down cautiously, looking for Din in the darkness of the train. She saw the glint of the Beskar against the back of his hand as he raised his arm, and gripping it tightly, Thell followed him inside.

The inside of the train was a stark change to the outside, surprisingly warmer and quiet despite the rain leaking in from the hole in the roof. Only a few white lights lit the inside, revealing several large crates strapped to the walls of the hull. The interior was entirely metal, mostly intricate infrastructure that reflected just how well to do the Empire still was.

Thell could sense Din beside her, seeing the shining of the Beskar steel reflected in the dim lighting. Outside, she could hear the rumble of distant thunder, the way it echoed and reverted back to shake the train under their feet.

“You okay?”

Thell’s eyes flickered back and forth across the inside of the car, knowing she wouldn’t find Grogu here but already expecting to see him. They were so close, they just needed to go a little farther, and they would all be together again.

“Fine,” Thell answered, finding his hand and squeezing his palm. “Where do we go from here?”

“That way,” Din said, pointing in the opposite direction to the end of the car. From here, Thell could see the faint outline of a door, the small rectangular window that sat in the middle, allowing them a view into the adjacent car. “Make our way slowly until we find the kid... Stay behind me.”

Whipping the blaster back into her hand, Thell made her way down the car slowly, keeping a close distance between Din as he prowled forward. He moved swiftly, his blaster raised beside his head, every step calculated and precise. Thell hadn’t seen him like this, like the true bounty hunter he was, and she thought nothing was more admirable than doing it to find the kid. The train around them was quiet, but she sensed they were both on edge as they moved closer and closer to the door. They made it the door, Din punching the button on the wall beside it so it whoosed open in front of them. The car ahead was darker, and by some odd reason, the air felt cooler than the last compartment.

“Someone’s in here,” Din said quietly through the commlink.

Thell peered through the darkness, keeping herself close to Din’s extended arm as he stood frozen in the dim light.

Thell heard the footsteps and felt the rumble of the train under her feet before she caught sight of their attacker. A stormtrooper was headed straight for them out of the darkness of the train car, careening sideways into the Mandalorian. Din shoved him forward with a swift throw, in the process smacking the electric baton the trooper was wielding. She threw herself back, avoiding the attack and fumbling with her blaster. Thell’s blood turned to ice as she saw the sparks, almost felt it in her own body as the trooper stuck the end of the baton into the inside of Din’s arm. She heard him groan through the helmet, his body going partly stiff before her mind came back to her. Fighting through the pain of her own electrocution a month ago, she leapt forward. Jamming her foot into the back of the trooper’s knees, she caused the trooper to stumble just as she pushed Din forward, careening past the trooper. In the process, her blaster slipped from her hands, falling somewhere in the darkness of the car.

She had just managed to get the other door open, hearing Din wheeze as she kept one hand on his back. The stormtrooper was rising, blaster raised as he fired in their direction. Thell threw an arm up, hearing the richot of the blast off Din’s armor as he stumbled behind her. Still dazed from the previous attack, she knew he wasn’t in the best shape to fend him off. So Thell threw her arm back, pushing the Mandalorian as hard as she could so he stumbled through the door and locking it behind her, sealing Din in on the other side and securing his safety. She had no weapons besides the detonator, which would have been foolish to use in such close quarters; her blaster had been discarded on the other side of the car, and the only thing protecting her was her Beskar.

For once, she felt like a true Mandalorian. Not in the way that Din was, or the way her father had been, but something entirely new.

The trooper fired again, hitting her shoulder pauldron and twisting Thell to the side upon impact. She knew it would be sore later on, and winced as she pulled herself back around, ducking when the trooper raised his blaster again. He must have not expected her to practically throw herself onto him, sending them both to the ground, steel and armor scraping the metal flooring of the train car. In a flurry of moving arms, Thell tugged the blaster from his hands and sent it flying halfway across the car. She had intended to keep it, but his strong grip on the weapon made it disappear from her hands as soon as she grabbed it. With a heavy grunt, she scrambled off the trooper, her feet touching solid ground again just as a gloved hand gripped her arm.

Throwing herself forward, Thell threw her knee into the trooper’s groin, making him yelp on impact. As soon as he hunched over, she plowed into him, slamming him back against the crates sitting adjacent on the wall. She could feel him fighting back, heard him groaning and trying to force her arms off him as Thell curled her ankle around his shin. Using the impact from his vambrace, she slammed it against the side of his head, feeling him loll against her as she used his own weight against him. It wasn’t the most perfect of moves, sloppily grabbing him as he attempted to flip her. She was using her adrenaline and desperation to find the kid to spurr her on, creating sparks in her veins as she fought with the trooper. She twisted her ankle, making him collapse on the floor beside her. The man was half conscious, his outstretched hand clenching on thin air as Thell hurried around him, retrieving her blaster from the other side of the car and standing in front of him.

She could have shot him easily, could have pulled the trigger and had nothing to worry about when she turned her back. This man, this supporter of the Empire, had tried to kill them both, after all. It would have been as easy to shoot him as the man who had pretended to be her father.

But she wasn’t a killer, she knew that. Din had told her himself she wasn’t. For once, she was allowed to choose.

She turned the blaster to his ankle, firing quickly. He groaned in pain, twisting half his body on the ground as Thell breathed in heavily, stuffing her blaster back into her belt.

“Don’t come after us,” she growled. “Or you’ll have more to worry about than your leg.”

He didn’t move, lying limp against the cold floor and letting out harsh groans before Thell turned, facing the door where she had sealed Din. He was breathing heavily, ripping her forward with one sharp tug on the front of her tunic as soon as the door opened. She heard it _whoosh_ closed behind her just as Din crushed her to his chest, the Beskar chestplates squeaking as they collided. He was trembling, shaking like he had been electrocuted, and the way he gripped the back of her head, fingers tangling in her hair, almost hurt.

“ _Don’t do that,”_ Din warned, his modulated voice unnaturally shaky.

“I’m fine... I’m fine, Din,” Thell assured him, pulling away so she could look up at him clearly. He clung to her for a moment more before releasing, his hands like vice grips on her biceps.

 _“Don’t do that, Thell,”_ Din repeated, his voice just as broken.

Thell’s lip trembled, but before she could break down, she ran her hands up his chest plates, saying quietly, “I’m alright, I swear to you. Are you okay?”

He stared down at her for a long moment through the visor before nodding once, and he seemed to regain his strength. “Stay with me.”

They didn’t have much time, and she couldn’t allow herself hours to process those three words, but she knew there was more beyond what he was saying. It was more than just leaving him behind to fight someone off. Seeing no sense in arguing, Thell nodded, pushing against him so they could continue down the train.

“They know now if they didn’t know before,” Din said gruffly. “That trooper had a comm... We need to find the kid quickly.”

 _Kriff._ Maybe Thell should have shot him, but upon even thinking that, shook out her hair and decided against it.

“We will,” Thell encouraged, giving his arm a quick squeeze before falling back behind him. She stayed as close as she could without tripping over him, watching as they sped through another car, the train whirring around them. There were two troopers in the next car, and Thell and Din took them together, working as a team for the first time. When she would stumble back, he would plow forward, killing them where Thell didn’t have to. When he seemed to falter, Thell snuck ahead of him, using her small frame and lithe figure to sneak through the car, almost entirely undetected until it was too late.

When they finally ended up on the other side, Thell was panting heavily, the adrenaline burning like an uncontrolled fire in her body. Din went ahead of her, as always, careful to use their silent signals to warn each other. Thell noticed a new one as they moved through the cars, one Din used after they had fought off troopers. He would simply press two fingers just above the T cross of his helmet, and sometimes press it back to her forehead in the heat of the moment. It only hit her the second time he did it, lingering with a long glance over her face.

The Keldabe kiss, of course. Bleys Darand, her former master, had been obsessed with Mandalorian culture. No wonder it had felt familiar when Din had done it the night before they got separated.

Kriff, this man would be the death of her.

“This should be the last one... I think,” Din said through the commlink.

“Good,” Thell panted, wiping sweat off her forehead. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you for the past hour, anyway.” The comment seemed to take him off guard, stilling before he moved through the next door, and Thell smirked up at him. “You blushing under that mask, Djarin?”

He scoffed, pushing her head away to only ruffle her hair playfully. Thell beamed, enjoying the small moment between them in the midst of everything that was happening.

Din pushed past the next door, firing at the trooper headed their way, leaving him in a cloud of smoke before firing at the next one. The train went quiet again as Thell peeked past Din’s outstretched arm.

“Was that it?”

“Suppose so,” Din said.

They walked forward, Thell keeping a close eye behind them as Din advanced to the next door. She was turned around, peering through the dim lights and past the storage containers when she heard something. She thought Din was in trouble, or yelling at for her something. She even twisted around, surprised to see him turned the opposite way, his back to her.

No, it was a single word, a choked gasp in a tone Thell had never heard the Mandalorian use before.

“Kid!”

Thell dashed forward, feeling her knees wobble as she pushed herself against Din, peeking over his shoulder. Just through the next door, through a small window, they could see the kid. He looked the same as when Thell had left him, the same tan robe and little feet sticking out from underneath. His ear were folded back, his eyes closed as he lay on his side on the floor.

Thell couldn’t stop the tears that came running down her face, her heart soaring as she realized the kid was safe. They had found him. They would finally be together again after all this time.

Something exploded next to her head, sending her spiraling to the ground on her hands and knees. Her left ear pulsed, ringing like she had actually been shot. Only when her vision had cleared and the ringing became a constant hum did she glance over her shoulder to see their attacker.

A large, gleaming black droid taller than Din himself stood like a statue at the other end of the train car. It was massive, gears rotating in its joints and a heavy blaster in its arms. Red, slanted eyes glared back at them from the darkness, threatening in an eerie silence. It looked like nothing the droids Thell had known growing up; no, this one was purely a war machine, a mechanical body made for nothing but murder.

“What the hell is that?” Thell gasped, pushing herself back on her hands.

Din was right beside her, gripping her bicep so hard it must have left bruises as he hoisted her back to her feet. “I don’t know, just stay behind me, and try to get that door open.”

Following suit, Thell turned to the panel, her fingers hovering over the blinking colors despite the shaking in her nerves. She had watched Din unlock the other doors, but this one was different, multiple switches and panels all flickering with different colors.

Another shot when off above her head, shaking the train car, and Thell shrieked, covering her head as sparks flew. Despite that, she could hear Din shooting at the droid, shot after shot as a new sound reached her ears.

She looked quickly, spotting the droid take step after meticulous step, metal gears whirring as its feet slammed into the steeling flooring of the train car. It was advancing towards them quicker than she thought, so she turned back towards the panel, punching randomly across the board. Thell prayed deeply, to whoever was listening, maybe the Force, that she would be able to get inside. The blaster fire was numbing now, shaking the running train car and whirring like fire past her eyes and ears.

Finally, the door opened, and Thell plunged inside, yelling after Din. “Din, come on!”

She slammed her fist down on the panel on the inside of the car just as Din jumped in beside her and watched the blast door close behind them. It sealed off the sounds of the fire left in their wake, and any sign of that huge droid. Even from here, she couldn’t hear anything. She turned, already finding Din on the ground crouching beside the kid.

“Is he okay?” Thell panted, bending on her knees beside him.

Din held Grogu with the gentleness of a father’s touch as he picked him up, keeping him close to his chest in two hands. The visor was tilted down so he could look at him, and Thell watched in pure wonder as Din’s thumb ran over the kid’s cheek. The kid didn’t move, not even after a long moment, and worry flooded Thell’s body. She didn’t speak, too scared to voice any of her thoughts, except when Din himself finally spoke.

“Kid.”

It didn’t work immediately, in fact, Din had to repeat the nickname until Grogu’s eyes slowly fluttered open. Thell’s lips trembled as she finally saw those wide dark eyes again, as curious and beautiful as the day she had left him. She even noticed the tension leave Din’s shoulders as Grogu’s eyes focused on them, glazing over Din’s mask. The car was silent, oddly so with the train still moving, the only noises being Grogu’s soft murmurs as he woke fully.

“Hey, pal,” Din said gruffly, his voice surprisingly even.

Thell watched as Grogu reached up, touching his fingers to the tip of Din’s armor. His eyes moved slowly, like he had been sleeping for days, until finally moving over to Thell. It was all too much, seeing him in person after she had left him alone in that base, exhausted and confused. She sobbed, digging her hands into her knees and squeezing her eyes shut. Din didn’t say anything; she only heard movement and felt a soft presence at her knees. Rubbing at one eye, Thell looked down to find the kid, placing his small hands on her legs and tilting his head to the side when she made eye contact with him.

She forced a weak smile, wondering what he was thinking as she bent down, running a hand over the wispy hairs of his head. What did surprise her was the way Grogu reached up, gently letting his three-fingered hands cup her chin, like he was trying to hold her face. Chest shaking, Thell bent closer, pressing her forehead to his as she drew her arm around his back to hold him. She felt no restraint, no pushing back or hesitancy when she finally lifted him to her chest, holding him as gently as she could. She had wanted to apologize, to tear herself away so she didn’t have to look at him full on, knowing what she had done. But it was like she could finally understand him for once, his kindness, his immense warmth and forgiveness. Din and Grogu were both that way, speaking mountains without ever having to open their mouths.

But the moment was fleeting as the car shook around them, and Din went to grip Thell’s shoulder and pull her close as the train car rocked around them. Grogu cried against Thell’s chest, and she held him tighter even when the car flipped under their feet. Something exploded beyond the car, but Thell could only focus on the pain in her back as she slammed against the side of the car. The rocking stopped, and Din stumbled beside her, panting heavily and bracing himself with one hand.

“What was that?” Thell asked, tasting blood in her mouth. She must have bit her tongue when the car rocked.

“The car isn’t attached to the train anymore,” Din explained.

“What?” Thell asked, shocked, just as something flared from the corner of her eye.

A ring of bright orange was cutting in an arc around the door of the car, like fire itself was burning its way inside.

“Thell, get back,” Din warned, helping her to her feet. Scrambling backwards, pain shooting up her body, Thell pushed herself against the far wall, holding Grogu close. He was still crying, murmuring softly in her cloak just as a large piece of cut steel fell inside the car. Din flinched as the same droid from earlier stepped inside, raising his blaster again. Thell ducked just as Din flew forward, catching the blaster and chucking it back through the open arc in the car. Outside, just for a mere moment, Thell caught glimpses of lightning crackling over trees, casting eerie shadows across the wet ground.

Thell knew Din was capable of a lot, but watching him fight off the droid was almost like a death itself. Her heart was threatening to beat out of her chest as she watched the droid move; it was slow, slower then Din, but ten times stronger. His whistling birds flew from his wrist to different spots on the droid, but it barely flinched upon impact. His blaster was useless, leaving nothing but sparks against the droids armor. It sent a few punches his way, making Din stumble on his feet.

“Thell, go!” He yelled, leading the droid away from the hole in the steel.

Shaken, Thell pushed herself to her feet, holding Grogu tight as she whisked past the two of them. She had just stepped outside, icy rain spitting on her face, lighting crackling overhead, when she paused. Something deep was running through her veins. She could have turned and run. Grogu and her would find Cara and Greef, and get the kid where he could be safe.

But what of Din?

Turning, she could only watch in horror as the droid grabbed Din, yanking him like a ragdoll and sending him flying into the far wall. The metal dented under the Mandalorian’s weight, even the floor cresting under his body as he tried to heave himself to stand again. Towering over him, the droid picked him up by the flight suit covering his collarbone, even as Din tousled and fought against the giant. His feet were dangling, and seeing him as helpless as he was, something she had rarely seen from the Mandalorian, made something deep within her snap.

She couldn’t leave him, not like this, even if she lost her life trying to save him. He was her’s, after all, a physical embodiment of everything she believed to be true and good in this world... And if there was anyone worth saving in her life, after so many had already been lost, it was him.

Setting Grogu down carefully outside the train car, she turned shakily towards them, her hand gripping her blaster like ice. Din was shoving against the droid’s grip, hands grabbing its arm as it pummeled a single fist into Din’s chest. She heard him groan from here, and that was all it took to send her flying forward as it hit him a second time. Boots launching her from the uneven steel floor, she sped towards the droid just before it turned around, latching herself to its back. She had noticed the unarmored portion of the droid’s neck earlier, a spot where she could easily use her blaster. Upon impact, the droid groaned underneath her, releasing its deathly hold on Din. The Mandalorian crumbled, trying to catch himself on his hands and knees but Thell noticed the way he crumpled underneath himself. She released, jumping back and placing herself in front of Din, firing directly into the droid’s neck as soon as she got a clear shot. It didn’t stumble after two shots, so Thell fired a third, the realization that it would crush her coming too late.

It would have, had Din not shot up, grabbing something from her belt and slamming his hand down deep into the droid’s neck. Thell only realized it was the detonator Din had given her earlier when she saw that familiar red blinking, and Din pushing her towards the floor. It was like that one night all those months ago in the forest, when Din had shoved her down in the forest, saving her and the kid from being shot at. She had come away with a bruise on her thigh and a blaster wound to her arm that Grogu had healed later on.

But the pain she felt this time was immense, not only the shockwave from the blast that rattled her eardrums and shook her skull, but the solid flooring of the train car bruising her sternum. Coughing from the impact, Thell pushed herself up, rolling over onto her back. Smoke billowed out from the carved opening of the car, mixing with the rain outside. She couldn’t see Din or the droid from here; she just hoped the latter was dead.

It was quiet again in the car, despite the ringing in her ears and the panting of her breaths. Eventually, when the immediate fiery pain in her back had subsided, she rolled to the side, pushing herself up on her elbow. Something red dripped in front of her eyes, pooling below her head: blood. Choking on her own breath, Thell touched her scalp, feeling for the wound. It eased her anxiety when she realized it was only a cut on her forehead, nothing too serious. She pressed her sleeve to it anyway, applying pressure until she couldn’t take it. The droid, or what remained of it, was lying in a crumbled, smoking heap close to the opening in the train car wall.

“Din?” Thell called, having to clear her throat from how choked she sounded. She twisted, pushing herself halfway up and crying out when she saw him splayed across the floor, just feet from where she lay. His armor was smoking from being so close to the explosion, his head lopsided and his arms limp.

“Din!” Thell called again before desperately crawling over towards him, in the process hearing something groan above her. The explosion had damaged an integral part of the infrastructure, causing a beam to lean downward and slowly start to cover the hole the droid had left. It was her only means of escape, with all her weapons and equipment gone. And where she had left the kid.

“Grogu!” Thell called, her hearting leaping to her throat as she spotted the green ears sticking out from behind the door. But the beam was coming down, cutting off the light from the outside. 

Panicking, Thell threw herself forward, grabbing Grogu as quickly as she could and sliding backwards as the beam fell, shaking the entire car and trapping them in darkness. Grogu was alive, but unconscious, his little ears floppy as she carried them backwards.

She slid around in the dark, looking for Din’s things and anything she had left strewn around the floor. Her fingers touched metal, and a small bit of hope stirred in her chest as she realized it was a lantern. Finding the button, she clicked it on, allowing a soft, yellow light to fill the small area. As soon as she did, Thell found Din in the darkness, bringing the lantern with her as she laid the kid down in her cloak.

“A valiant effort, I must say,” a dark voice said behind her, crackling like the person was speaking through a helmet. “One that is entirely futile, unfortunately.”

Panting heavily, Thell peered over her shoulder, just catching a glimpse of a flickering blue hologram hovering close to her attached to the droid’s arm, the actual size of the person speaking. He was an older black man, with close cropped hair and a mustache. His features were hard, and everything about him seemed _dark_ to Thell. Just his very presence, even through the hologram, was enough to send shivers up her spine. The hologram sent deathly blue shadows across the room, painting her skin a ghostly white.

She glared back at him, watching as he did the same to her, eventually squinting and speaking lowly. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”

Thell remained silent, her chest still heaving from the fight with the mechanical stormtrooper and the aftermath of the explosion.

The man spoke again, eyes half lidded but filled with a careful, precise ferocity. “My name is Moff Gideon. I’m surprised Din Djarin had yet to mention my name to you, since you have been traveling with him for so long, after all.”

Hearing Din’s name on the lips of another made anger swell through her. She knew who he was; the officer in that base had told her how Gideon had been hunting the kid.

“You’re never getting to him,” Thell snarled.

“We have your face on record. You know it’s only a matter of time before we find you again. All three of you.”

“You won’t,” Thell growled. “We’ll be long gone.”

“You should have left when it was still safe, Thell. You could have saved yourself all this _unnecessary_ trouble, made a peaceful life for yourself. You had no right getting involved in all of this. The child you harbor... You have no idea of the power he possesses. He’s greater than you think, and he does not belong to you.”

“You don’t understand him... You never will. You won’t ever get the chance.”

“Like I said, it is only a matter of time, Thell Sai’Lya. Count the days with your _precious_ Mandalorian carefully.”

Curling her lip, Thell threw her blaster forward, firing a shot directly at the holocron, obliterating the metal into splinters. The weapon was shaking in her hands; she could see it beyond her eyeline. So Thell dropped it, collapsing on her backside, just remembering that Din was laying out sprawled behind her. She choked his name, skidding into her hands and knees and crawling to hover over him. He looked unharmed, the only damage being the slight smoke rising from his armor from the explosion Thell blinked away tears rapidly, knowing she couldn’t have a breakdown without at least trying to help him first.

But she did feel helpless, with the kid passed out beside him and Din laying in his full armor, unconscious. She looked around, as if there would be help to ask for, but there was only the wreckage of the train car and the destruction of the droid just feet from where they lay.

Swiveling her head back to Din, she carefully raised her hands to his helmet. He had taken it off in front of her before, but did it mean the same for _her_ to remove it? She did it anyway, carefully gripping the metal lid of the helmet and inching it up Din’s face, using her leg as support to lift his head. She could see the blood coming from his nose before she had even lifted the helmet up in the dim light. Biting her lip to keep from breaking, she removed the helmet, gently letting it slide on the ground beside his head. She was still in awe of his face every time she saw him, awe of how kind and soft he was underneath, nothing like the grisly tone and cold demeanor he so often put on in front of strangers. Underneath, he was as kind as the kid himself, and just as warm.

Except he wasn't warm; his skin felt like ice under Thell’s hand when she went to brush away the sweaty hair sticking to his forehead. There was blood all over his face: leaking out of his nose, a wound crisscrossing on his forehead, and a split in his lip. His lips were slightly parted, but Thell couldn’t even see him breathing. Feeling her blood spike, she pushed two fingers against his neck, waiting until she felt a pulse.

“ _Kriff,”_ Thell cursed.

No pulse.

She threw a hand over her mouth to stifle the sob pulsing in her throat, and bent down, pressing her forehead into the cold steel of his chest plates. She wanted to scream, to find Gideon and make him pay for what he had done to all three of them. She was fighting the torrent of emotions that surged through her body and soul: anger, frustration, rage, guilt, and a deep, deep sense of loss.

She hadn’t even felt this way with her own mother, all those years ago. This was different, the way her heart cracked when she couldn’t find Din’s pulse. Seeing him lying cold, constrained in the armor he always wore, bleeding from wounds in his face with no sign of their comrades coming to help them. He looked almost peaceful, if he hadn’t been covered in his own blood.

The panic was settling in, worming its way deep into her chest and making a home there. Her shaking hands hovered his body, unknowing of what to do except cry.

“Din, don’t do this,” she begged, pulling at his arm. Thell trembled, fumbling blindly for his hand and ripping the glove off once she found it. She pushed herself to sit up, despite the weakness she felt aching in her body.

“Come on, please,” Thell begged. “I can’t lose you _too.”_

One hand clutching his cold one, and the other running her hand over his hair, Thell begged harder than she ever had in her life.

“Please,” she whispered, squeezing his hand, praying that somehow his eyes would open. Those deep brown eyes she missed dearly. “ _Please,_ come back to me. Come back to us. I can’t do this all by myself anymore, I don’t want to. _Please!”_ She looked up into the face, the face of the man she loved, her best friend and dearest companion, and leaned down to connect their foreheads. “ _I need you, runi.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so so much for reading and continuing to follow me and this work! every bit of love means so much to me, and i hope i make you guys proud with these last several chapters. <33 much love from din, grogu, thell, and myself!!


	32. Chapter Thirty One: Delay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wowie!!! i'm so glad ya'll enjoyed the last chapter, here goes the next one!! :)

_“Thell?”_

_Thell, age five, as early in her life as she could remember. It had been a long day; she had spent most of it in the room while her mother had been out working in Darand’s house. When her mother finally had returned, they spent their time together quietly, little Thell realizing even then that her mother was exhausted from the day. She left her to play on the floor quietly, playing with figures of Republic ships that her mother had made a few years back. The grounds past their window were quiet, starlight washing inside and casting silver glows on the crooked hardwood floor._

_“Come here, my star,” Seba said softly, extending a hand to Thell. She gently slid up from her spot playing on the floor of the small room her mother and her slept in. Seba motioned her forward, holding her on her lap as Thell pushed herself into the bed._

_“I want to give you something,” Seba said softly, her brown eyes twinkling in the dim light and making Thell beam. She drew her shoulders in, clasping her hands tightly in her lap as her mother fished something from the pack on their bed._

_“This was your father’s,” Seba explained, slipping the gleaming piece of metal into Thell’s small hands. She admired it with wide eyes, holding it close to her face as she ran her chubby fingers over the symbol of Clan Eldar._

_“Daddy...?”_

_“Yes, dear,” Seba affirmed. “And it’s yours to keep.”_

_“Where is he, momma?” Thell asked, tilting her head back in her mother’s direction. “Is he coming home soon?”_

_For once, and it happened very rarely, Thell noticed tears in her mother’s eyes. She stilled for a long moment, blinking down at her daughter before clearing her throat and saying, “No. But we mustn’t worry... We are safe here, aren’t we?” Thell nodded, grasping the necklace tight. “Then that’s all we need.”_

_. . . ._

Her hands were shaking uncontrollably now, her back heaving with gasping breaths as she hovered over Din, unable to see anything but him fighting that droid every time she closed her eyes. It shook her to the core, making goosebumps break out across her body as she dry heaved, begging for him to come back. She had already tried their commlinks to reach Greef and Cara, but they were down or either crushed from the wreckage. She went between sobbing against his chest plates, tears streaking down the Beskar, until moving her hands up to cup his face, his head lolling in her hands when she tried to move him.

“Din, _please,”_ she sobbed, running her thumbs over his cheekbones.

But he was still, unmoving under her hands, blood streaked across his face and his skin like ice on her fingers. It didn’t help that the temperature was falling in the train car, and she could hear the soft pitter patter of rain and the crack of thunder outside.

Grogu had yet to move, wrapped warmly in Thell’s blankets, but she realized he was breathing.

And it was as if she had triggered it herself, because she heard a soft morning beside her leg, and peeked to see Grogu’s dark eyes flickering. Releasing Din’s hand, Thell gently cradled Grogu in her arms, laying him across her legs and holding him close to her. He was waking slowly, his little hands clutching tightly, like he was looking for something to hold on to. Thell leaned down, brushing her nose along his head before kissing him gently.

“You okay, buddy?” She whispered, knowing if she spoke any louder it would become a sob. He whined softly, moving slowly as he blinked up at her. Tilting his head slowly, Thell watched as he looked over at Din, realizing he had never seen him without his helmet, or not that she knew of. Grogu made a soft, worried sound that brought on a new wave of fresh tears in Thell’s eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I-I couldn’t help him, Grogu. I tried, I-I tried for both of you.”

Grogu wriggled suddenly, and Thell set him down carefully, right beside Din’s head. She crouched close, curling herself around Din’s upper body and wrapping an arm over his chest. The green baby looked Din up and down, peering at his face with wide eyes, even glancing back and forth at the helmet that lay on the ground. She watched with teary eyes as Grogu seemed to finally catch on, looking at Din with wide eyes and a curious tilt in his head. His little hand reached out, fingers softly caressing Din’s cheek.

“Grogu-“ Thell started, going to hold him again before something stopped her. The little baby was reaching out to touch Din’s face, letting his three fingered hand rest on his temple. He whined softly, babbling under his breath as Thell watched him. She slowly realized he was trying to heal him, like he had done for her when Thell had taken a blaster shot in the arm to save the kid. She didn’t know if it would work, and maybe Grogu didn’t know either. But he was trying anyway, his wide eyes shutting as he rested his hand on Din’s skin.

Thell could only watch as time passed on, as Grogu stayed completely still with his little hand on Din’s head. But nothing changed, and that same dread crept back into her skin. She went to touch Grogu, to drag him away before he exhausted himself too much, but something happened. A finger on Din’s hand twitched against Thell’s, making her shoot up.

“Din?” She gasped, her chest rising and falling in rapid motions as Grogu suddenly released his hand. Thell caught him before he stumbled back, keeping him propped up against his knees as he made small wheezing noises. Keeping a secure grip on the child, Thell leaned down, brushing her hand over the wispy hairs on his head and asking, “Are you okay?”

Grogu didn’t respond as Thell thought he would, instead closing his eyes again as the exhaustion crept back over and passing out in Thell’s arms. Swallowing hard, Thell wrapped him back in her cloak, setting him down carefully before looking back at Din. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest at seeing Din’s eyes, those golden brown irises staring right back at them. He looked exhausted, like he was just a ghost staring back at them with half lidded eyes. She dragged herself forward, trembling with every breath and sob that came pouring from her lungs as she cupped his face again, as gently as she could.

“Din?” Thell breathed, bending forward so he didn’t have to strain to hear her voice. “You okay? Can you hear me?”

“Yeah,” he breathed, but something was off in his voice. Regardless, his eyes flickered to Grogu, lying unconscious beside him.

“He’s okay,” Thell affirmed. “He healed you, Din. He’s okay, though... I’m sorry I took off the helmet, I wasn’t trying to break the Creed... But I thought you were _gone.”_

Din’s lip trembled as his eyes traveled back over her face, memorizing every detail of her features. Sobbing deeply, Thell crouched forward, bending down to kiss Din’s forehead. When he inhaled deeply, his chest shook under the armor and there was a sound like a whistle in his throat. She looked him over, trying to understand why he sounded that way, but Din seemed to catch her wavering gaze. His eyes slowly traveled downwards, towards his opposite side. Leaning over him, Thell pushed against him, rolling him towards him but flinching when he inhaled sharply. She paused before carefully peering over his side, her eyes catching a large rip in the fabric of his flight suit. Blood was dripping down, staining the clothing and leaving a small puddle on the ground.

“What is this?” Thell gasped.

“... Don’t know.”

Taking the lantern, Thell shakily rose back to her feet, wandering the short length of the train car. The soft light caught the gleam of something: thick, red liquid covering a long piece of shrapnel protruding from the side of the car. Swallowing hard, Thell turned back towards Din.

“Did you hit something?” She asked.

“Maybe,” he breathed. “Not sure.”

Kneeling down beside the wound, she carefully peeled back the ripped section of the flight suit, making Din wheeze.

“I’m sorry,” Thell murmured, stopping her movements before Din’s hand suddenly landed on her arm, squeezing tight. His eyes were tired, his eyebrows drawn in from the pain. Din wasn’t one to show much physical pain; Thell knew that. He had always been strong, always capable of taking care of himself. But this, this was different. They were without help, their comms either crushed from the wreckage of the train or useless, and they had no access to medical supplies.

Thinking as quickly as she could with her fuzzy mind, she ripped off a clean section of the bottom half of her tunic, using her teeth to rip it off and gently press it into the wound. Din flinched, hand wrapping around her wrist and squeezing tight. His eyes were squeezed shut, and Thell cried again.

“I’m so sorry,” she whimpered, releasing some of the pressure. She couldn’t keep her hand on it perfectly, so she left the material bundled up inside the flight suit, hoping to stop some of the bleeding.

“My... chest,” he said suddenly. “And... my legs... they feel weird.”

Thell’s brows creased, and she moved her hand to grip his chestplate, trying to rip it off. It wasn’t easy, and she wasn’t sure where it unlocked from his flight suit. Noticing her shaking hands, Din’s hand found her’s, guiding it to where it needed to go. Even though her arms shook with exhaustion, Thell heaved the heavy metal off Din’s body, giving him some space to breathe. However, his breath still sounded the same, and it terrified her.

“What’s wrong?” She whispered, unable to speak any louder. Din’s tired eyes flickered slowly from her face to Grogu and back up again.

“Something... With that droid,” Din wheezed. “Hitting the wall...”

Panicked coursed through her, sending goosebumps up her arms. “What can I do?” Thell asked.

But the response Din gave her was nothing short of a death sentence. He didn’t speak, barely shaking his head as his eyebrows creased and a grim look grew like a shadow over his face. Thell inhaled sharply, shaking her head frantically.

“Din,” she started.

“No,” Din said, sounding like his normal self. “This isn’t your fault. Don’t make it feel like it is.”

Thell bit her lip to keep it from trembling, because it’s as if he had read her mind. “But Din, I... I didn’t...”

“ _No,”_ Din repeated, looking at her with sharp eyes. “Don’t do that to yourself... Not again.” Thell shook her head, feeling helpless and opened her mouth again before Din gripped her wrist, hard. He had never been so forward and stern with her, and Thell wondered if it stemmed from the pain he was in. “Promise me you won’t.”

Thell blinked, understanding immediately. “You’re not going to die, Din.”

“Thell.”

“I’m not letting you die,” Thell said. “That’s not going to happen.”

“We’re stuck, Thell. I’ve used every weapon I have and the comms are down.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Thell pleaded. “I’ll, I’ll figure it out. I can do this.”

“ _You’re hurt,”_ Din said, his voice breaking as his face fell, eyes glazing over her face where blood streaked across her cheek and forehead.

“I’m... I’m fine, Din,” Thell assured him, although, the pain in her body made her think otherwise. But she wouldn’t tell him, wouldn’t let on just how sore and aching her body was.

_“Don’t.”_

“Don’t you understand?” Thell cried, sobbing even harder. “I _need you._ I was alone for so long, Din, we both were... I can’t lose you now. I don’t want to do this without you... You gave me that headpiece, and the nickname, remember? You Kriffing _engraved_ your Clan’s symbol onto my own armor... We’re supposed to stay together, you and me and the kid.”

Din’s eyes flickered, and it broke Thell’s heart to see him suddenly on the edge of tears. “If I.... I need you to get the kid to safety. Cara and Greef should be looking for us... I need you to take care of him.”

Stifling another long sob, Thell nodded, knowing she couldn’t do much from her position. Instead of begging him more, which she knew was useless at this point, she scooted forward, stretching out her legs beside him as she bent over Din, brushing his hair back.

“Can I hold you?” She whispered. “I’ll be careful, I swear.”

Something gleamed in his eyes, something like a vulnerability Thell had never seen in his face or disposition. Whatever he felt, he dipped his head once, a typical reaction of his.

Standing up, Thell went to sit behind him. She pulled him between her legs as she leaned against the wall, careful to help him as he pushed himself against the floor to avoid the wound in his side. Grogu was still passed out on the floor, but once Din seemed as comfortable as he could be, she placed him gently in Din’s free arm. She saw how his face twitched when he held the kid, how there was a mixture of gentleness and pain twisted in his face. Using the extra material from her cloak, she draped half of it over his body to try and warm him. She knew she couldn't do anything about the damage to his side, the obvious wound to his lung. She wanted him to be calm, to feel safe rather than fear what was to come of her and the kid, of himself. He had spent so much of his life running, of forcing himself to move onto the next job and never resting. He was never one to sit still; he had been forced to live that way. For once, she wanted him to feel like he could just rest, even if everything in her was screaming at her to try and save him, despite their circumstances.

So she wrapped one arm under his neck, holding his head against her chest. With the other arm, she fumbled to find his hand, cool to her touch. She flinched, looking at him warily as his eyes had closed again, his mouth parted as he rasped. His skin was pale, paler than usual. Forcing a sob down her throat, Thell found his hand again, gently intertwining their fingers and bringing it up, clasping it near the top of his sternum. Grogu’s head was resting on Din’s chest, just below his collarbone, the tip of one ear brushing his chin.

“I’m glad you begged me to come on the Razor Crest that night... All those nights ago.” His breath was starting to get raspier, terrifying Thell.

“Me too,” she whispered, and noticed how his thumb ran over Grogu’s small hand. “You always took such good care of him, Din. He needed a father like you.”

“Thell,” he started, rubbing his nose into her collarbone.

She scrunched the hair at the bottom of his head. “Shh, it’s okay. I have you... I’m going to take care of you. I’m not letting you suffer alone anymore.” Din breathed in heavily, and Thell could feel him shudder in her arms when he exhaled. She squeezed his hand tighter, pressing a soft kiss across his knuckles.

“Thell,” Din started again.

Thell squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I know.”

“I... I want to say something,” he pressed, eyes nearly desperate. _“Please.”_

Thell looked at him for a long moment before nodding, drawing hair away from his head.

“You... you were always so warm, always warm. But you get cold easily, like those first nights on the Crest. I only... let myself _be_ around you when I thought you were sleeping. I thought I should have been embarrassed for doing such things... but then I realized I _wished_ you were awake, so I could talk to you, so I could see your eyes. And when you were, you were always kind. So kind, Thell... always took good care of the kid... such a pretty voice. Everything about you was just... _so radiant._ Your eyes... how they crinkle when you smile, and your laugh... you throw your head back a lot. And you touch your hair more than you think, and it drove me crazy at first.” He reached up, arm trembling as he gently curled his fingers into the ends of her hair. “And you... You always spoke with such certainty, even when you were nervous, or frightened. And you made me feel more _human..._ It’s been so long, _kar’ta._ So long since anyone saw me like you did... I feel like... Like I was always waiting for someone. I looked for them in places I never should have. I distracted myself all these years. And then you just... _Showed up._ Like you were straight out of one of my dreams.”

Thell smiled weakly, her heart soaring despite the pain she felt. “You dreamed about me?”

“I could never see your face... Maybe it was the Force or whatever Grogu uses, trying to connect us. Before we met.”

“Maybe.”

“... I love you, Thell. I think I... I fell in love with you a long time ago. I don’t know how to explain it.”

“I know,” Thell said quietly, kissing his cheek. “I feel the same way.”

“Your...” Din started, eyelids fluttering to finally make eye contact with her again. He was crying, glimmers just shining under his eyelids, his sweet brown eyes torrent with a mix of emotions. “Your parents would be so proud of you, Thell.”

And the tears came fast again for Thell, running down her face so fast she couldn’t even stop herself. She pressed her forehead into his hair. “I love you,” she whispered, just above his ear so he could hear her clearly but no one else. “ _Don’t be afraid, runi..._ Not anymore.”

_. . . ._

“... Dead when we got in there.”

“Sustained multiple injuries...”

“Kid...?”

Thell heard voices before she opened her eyes, surrounded by soft white lights around her head. Squinting, she slowly turned her head, spotting an array of shiny metal tools lying on a cart beside her, and a tube running down under the bed she lay on. The next thing she noticed was a familiar item, glinting softly in the dim light: her necklace.

She went to move her hand to grab it, to feel something that would ground her in these somewhat scary surroundings. She had heard the words “dead” and “kid”, and whatever they meant, they terrified her.

But she couldn’t move. Breath picking up, something started beeping above her head, scaring her. The bed shook underneath her weight when she flinched, but her hands were restrained. She kicked out, a thin blanket covering her legs, when she realized they were stuck too. When she jerked, something bit inside her sternum, causing fiery pain to trickle down into her stomach. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes, and it seemed as if her voice didn’t even work, the only sounds reaching her ears being her own ragged sobs.

“Thell? Thell, hold on, honey, you’re fine.”

It was a familiar voice, but not Din’s. A pale face with a tattoo under one eye and a halo of dark hair hovered her. Cara Dune.

_Kriff._

She was alive.

That meant...

Thell nearly shot up from the bed, pulling at the restraints on her limbs so hard she nearly rocked off the cot. A hand was on her shoulder, pushing her firmly until her head was back against a pillow.

“Din?” Thell spluttered, not even realizing until she had spoken that she had revealed his name. “Din, is he okay? The kid?”

A dark look grew over the warrior’s features, and Thell felt as if her heart had been crushed into her ribcage. “He... The kid is fine, a bit dehydrated, but he’s okay. He’s in another room, but I’ll bring him in here when he’s ready.”

“Cara,” Thell pressed, trying to lean forward. “Where is he?”

Cara stilled, chewing on the inside of her cheek. “He’s in critical condition, Thell. Whatever pierced him, it was deep, severed several arteries and collapsed his lung. Not to mention the blast from the detonator and fighting with that... thing.”

“How...?”

“You fell in and out of consciousness once we found you guys. You spoke, a bit sporadically, but we managed to piece it together... What was that thing, Thell?”

She wanted to explain, to recount everything that had happened to them. But her mind was racing with thoughts of Din, her memory fuzzy with her last conversation with him. He had had trouble breathing, his voice raspy as they talked, his body turning colder and colder in that dark room.

“I want to see him, Cara,” she begged, surprised by the authority in her voice.

Her eyes flickered like she was about to say something, but she turned her head as someone entered. It was Greef, his arm in a sling and his brown eyes looking down at her tenderly. His unwounded hand reached down, touching her arm with immense gentleness.

“I... What happened?” Thell asked, frantic. “Why am I... strapped here?”

“Two of your ribs are broken and you have a concussion,” Cara explained. “It was out of your best interest not to hurt yourself further. You’re in a medical house on Nevarro.”

“Why can’t I see him?” Thell begged, her voice breaking.

Greef stepped towards her, taking his turn to talk. “Mando isn’t in the best shape, little one. It’s better for the both of you to rest than see each other like this.”

Thell blinked, tears falling past her eyes. “But I... _I don’t care_ , I don’t care if he sees me like this. I need to see him, please, he nearly died when we were in there.”

“Thell,” Cara said, her voice firm as she leaned over her. “You will see him. Just give it some time; you both have been through a lot.”

“And,” Greef added. “The sooner you allow yourself to rest, the sooner you can get back to... Well, whatever it is. And I’m sure the kid will be happy to see you two back to yourselves.”

They talked quietly for a few moments, explaining how they had searched the tracks and the forest for hours before finally finding the mangled train car. They had all been unconscious then, even after being loaded into the Razor Crest and flying back to Nevarro. Thell realized they must have seen him without the helmet, and it made her worried for him. But she wouldn’t mention it, not until she had to. Greef and Cara went to leave eventually, unshackling Thell from the bed and leaving her with a tray of food.

“Cara.” The warrior turned as Thell spoke, hand resting lightly on the doorframe. “... What’s really going on?”

She saw the way Cara’s throat bobbed, and for the first time since she had met her, she looked nervous. “He hasn’t woken up yet. It’s been a day and he hasn’t moved.”

. . . .

Reuniting properly with Grogu felt like holding half of her own heart in her arms again. He squealed when Cara brought him in, trembling from head to foot as she gently lowered him into Thell’s lap. Cara left them alone, letting Thell run her fingers over his ears and spreading kisses over his face, beaming when she made him giggle and his dark eyes grew brighter. He practically clung to her, playing with her necklace or the ends of the blanket pooled around her waist. Somehow, he was always within reach, and Thell didn’t mind. When she looked at him, she relieved all the memories of their pre-split, even the bad times. He seemed to have forgiven her, and maybe never held any bad feelings towards her at all, but she still felt the pangs of leaving him alone.

“Grogu,” she said softly, watching him as he sat in her lap, dark eyes flickering to her face. Her lip trembled, and she had to breathe in deeply to stop the pain of her broken ribs stabbing at her. “I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you there... You had saved me, and I just... _Left.”_ Thell sobbed, her back heaving and the machine above her beeping as her heart rate increased. If it did anymore, Cara would probably come running in.

But she didn’t, because she felt Grogu crawl further up her lap, small hands tugging on her tunic as he reached for her face. He was close enough that she could feel his soft breath on her face, feeling the small indentations of his palms on her chin. He whined softly, like he was trying to communicate with her. Thell wrapped her arms around his back, gently tugging him closer so she could press her face against his head, feeling those little wispy hairs brush her cheek while he practically purred against her. She felt it then, even more than before... Grogu’s forgiveness and care that didn’t exist through words.

When night had supposedly fallen outside the med bay, Thell let Grogu sleep beside her, wrapped in a small blanket of his own and curled up in the crook of her arm.

When she went to look at the stars, the only thing she could see were the flat, plain panels of the ceiling, and nothing beyond them. Breathing deeply, Thell tilted her head to look at Grogu, who was already falling asleep.

“Your dad... He saved us. Both of us, buddy,” she whispered, running her thumb along his ear. “And we’ll be okay. We’re gonna see him really soon... I promise.”

Grogu babbled softly, tapping against her arm mindlessly, and Thell smiled warmly.

“I love you, kid,” she whispered. “... And I love your dad. So, so much. I wonder if you could tell... If maybe you saw us kiss that one night, huh?” He made a small murmuring sound. “Maybe... But I’ve seen his face, Grogu, and he’s beautiful. Isn’t he? Yeah... He’s really something.”

It lasted like that for days, and what felt like months for Thell. Every day was the same, taking medications for her pain and resting for hours in the bed. Grogu was with her constantly, babbling incoherently and playing with her necklace. Cara and Greef came by occasionally, updating her if there was ever any news on Din.

There hardly was.

He was alive, but that was all Cara ever told her.

Sometimes, a nurse droid would take her on a wheelchair around certain sections of the medical bay, with Grogu sitting tight in her lap. Her ribs were still heeling, and she had to watch herself around certain bright lights or sound because of her concussion. Grogu would babble sometimes, tilting his head to look up at her every now and then with those endearing dark eyes.

The droid switched them down a different way, and Grogu murmured softly, glancing at Thell with curious eyes. She shrugged back at him, leaning back and relaxing in the chair as they rolled past drab walls, sometimes seeing glimpses of the sun or the town outside as they went by. The droid was silent, pushing her through a large door. Grogu flinched in her lap, and worried that he had hurt himself, Thell tilted her head down, checking on him. But he wasn’t hurt, in fact, he was nearly bouncing up and down in her lap, his eyes glazed on something in the distance.

And as her head lifted, adjusting to the warm light, she caught a glimpse of familiar brown eyes, warm and brimming with life.

_“Din!”_

“Hey, _kar’ta._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading, supporting, commenting, kudoing(??), etc etc. it means the world to me, every single thing.  
> sadly, i've outlined the remainder of the book and it seems like we will only have at least two chapters and an epilogue left. but do not fear!! i already have plans for a sequel that i will touch on more later...


	33. Chapter Thirty Two: Requiem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i'm so glad ya'll like the last chapter so much! Hopefully this is a good break from all the angst and trauma of the past few chapters... enjoy!!

She wanted to rip herself from the chair, leap into Din’s arms and melt into him. But even as she tried to push herself up from the chair, something in her sternum spiked with pain. She felt a cold hand on her shoulder, the droid practically telling her not to move. But to her greatest relief, the droid moved, pushing her towards him.

“Din!” Thell cried again as the droid pushed her closer.

He was lying down, flat against the bed covered in a dark blanket. His items and the Beskar armor were lying on a table beside him, along with several of his weapons. When she came close enough, she could see the bacta patches on his face, the obvious wounds where he had been hurt from the blast and the fight. He was pale, but not even half as much as he had when he had been dying in her arms. There was a blanket covering his body so she couldn’t see what he was wearing, but she saw the different tubes running under the material into his skin. Ones like she had had the first few days in the bed.

Din looked as beautiful as she remembered. His facial hair had grown in, darker on his upper lip and scraggly on his jaw and chin. Had it been days, weeks, years since she had last seen him? However long it had been, it was like she was seeing his face for the first time all over again.

The droid pushed her until her knees touched the underside of the bed and she could rest her arms beside his. Din’s head didn’t move, only his brown eyes flickering back and forth between herself, the droid, and the kid babbling in Thell’s lap.

Thoughts and memories hit her one after another, muddled in her brain like fog. She had clearly sustained a concussion during the fight with the droid, and all the details weren’t clear. But most were... Like when they had equally risked their lives for each other, Thell standing over Din to shoot at the droid, and him pushing her down before the detonator went off. He must have taken the brunt of the blast, with the condition he apparently was in.

She remembered his speech too, his comments about her eyes and her hair and how warm she was. Mostly she remembered him saying her parents would be proud of her. The thought even brought tears to her eyes.

As Thell scooted right up beside him, her head level with his laying on a pillow, she sensed the droid walking away, closing the door and leaving them alone.

“Hi,” she whispered, a bit breathless.

“Hi.” His voice was hoarse, like he hadn’t used his vocal cords in years.

She wasn’t sure what else to say... What do you say to someone that you thought was going to die in your arms, someone that you wanted to stay with for the rest of your life?

Din seemed to be the same, his lep trembling slightly as Grogu peered over the bed’s edge to look at him. It was silent save for the kid’s small cooing as Thell helped him onto the bed, waddling over to Din’s shoulder. Thell couldn’t see his face clearly, so nudged herself around until she could. Grogu’s eyes were wide, staring back at Din in pure curiosity and wonder. Din hadn’t been opposed to the kid seeing his face, hadn’t even objected verbally. He only let him wander closer, closer until his hand could just brush Din’s jaw. Grogu purred softly, letting his hand run down Din’s face and then leaving again. The Mandalorian had always been strong, even in his facial features. But he seemed to break under the kid’s touch, his eyebrows twitching as his eyes squeezed shut. His breath shuddered when Thell touched his shoulder, letting her fingertips rest against the dark shirt he was wearing.

“I’m not dreaming... Am I?”

“ _Dank Ferrik,”_ Din breathed. “I hope not.”

“Din?” Thell whispered. She had meant to ask if he was okay, if she wanted them to leave for any reason. But Din’s eyes opened again, and he shook his head lightly, hair falling over his forehead. 

“ _Kriff,”_ he sobbed. “You’re okay.”

She knew he meant the both of them, and Thell pushed herself closer, mindful of the pain in her sternum. Din hadn’t moved beside his head, but Thell hesitantly pulled up the blanket, finding his hand and bringing it out. There were two tubes running into the inside of his wrist, one a light blue and the other clear. His hand looked unharmed, as strong and sure as it had been before.

She raised it to her mouth, pressing gentle kisses along his knuckles and fingers. “Yeah, we’re okay... I... I thought you were dead, Din. Cara wouldn’t let me see you, she thought it was better this way. But, _Kriff,_ I’ve missed you, _runi..._ I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, _kar’ta.”_

Thell’s lips trembled. “You saved us, Din. You almost died trying to.”

“No...” he said softly, his eyes flickering from Grogu and back to Thell. “You turned around... You came back.”

That’s when the tears came, running down her face like rivers while she leaned closer to him, gripping his hand tightly. “I knew I couldn’t leave you, I’m sorry,” she spluttered, shaking her head. “I knew it was dangerous and I should have just left but I-”

Din was kissing her suddenly, her mind going blank before her eyes closed on instinct. Din had swept forward, as calculating and precise as he had always been, his hand moving under chin to tilt her head down so he could kiss her. It shocked Thell at first, flinching and drawing her shoulders in before she finally responded, melting into him. She hadn’t kissed him in days, or weeks, she wasn’t sure. She couldn’t help the sob that rose in her throat, didn’t stop the way her hands moved up, cupping his cheeks and rubbing her thumbs softly over his scarred skin. He wanted to move, to rise in the bed to hold her, and Thell wanted to as well... But in their states, she gently pushed a hand against his shoulder, kissing him as sweetly as she could. He didn’t need to rush; there wasn’t any need to anymore.

When he broke away, Thell dug her hands into his hair, pulling herself down so she could press her forehead into his hair, inhaling deeply. He smelled like home.

“Don’t feel guilty for anything, not with me,” Din whispered. “You... Risked everything when you came back.”

“I’ll always come back... and I meant to say it earlier,” Thell whispered, running her fingertips along his scalp. “But your parents would be proud of you too, Din. They would be so proud of the man you’ve become, just like I am.”

He didn’t respond, but she heard the way his breath hitched in his throat, felt the way he slumped against her, digging his face into her neck. Thell let her chest rest against the bed, holding Din’s head and caressing his hair as he pressed his face into her neck. It was comfortable like this, even though not snuggled up against him like she had imagined, but as close as they could offer each other. Din was hurt, healing but still wounded, she knew that, and it would take them both time to fully recover from what they had been through.

They didn’t talk much as Thell stayed beside him for hours, watching Grogu get sleeper and sleepier until he passed out in the crook of Din’s arm. Watching him admire the kid was one of the most beautiful things Thell had ever witnessed, his features going soft and his eyes shining with adoration. When Din finally made eye contact with her again, his gaze flickered downwards, like he was embarrassed. It hadn’t just been the two of them for at least a week, and Thell wondered if Din was feeling hesitant. He had been shy beforehand, as new to everything as she was. To comfort him, Thell reached out, running her hand along his shoulder.

“Are you okay with this?” Thell asked, to which he nodded. “He, um... He saw your face, Din. Before you woke up.”

“What?”

Thell stilled. “When we were in the train car, I don’t know if you were dead but you didn’t have a pulse; you weren’t breathing. Grogu woke up, and he, um, healed you, I think. Enough to wake you up again.”

“Oh.”

Thell leaned forward, running her hand over his hair. “I’m so sorry, Din. I know you probably didn’t want it to happen like that-”

But she stopped when Din shook his head. “No... No, no, it’s okay. I should have done it a long time ago... I asked for you two specifically. I wanted to see you both... Even like this.”

His eyes fell back upon the kid sleeping in his arms, his brown eyes shining. Warmth bubbled in Thell’s chest. “Are you feeling alright?” She said quietly as not to wake Grogu sleeping between. “What happened to you... exactly?”

“A punctured lung... The other one collapsed. Bruising on my spine from the detonator, along with a bunch of other injuries and what have you. Feeling better than before though...” Din paused, his eyes gazing at her hand. “I thought... I thought I wasn’t going to see you again.”

Thell’s lip trembled. “Yeah. Me too... I didn’t want to think about life without you... Did... Did they see you, Din? Your face?”

“Not that I can remember... Mostly just nurse droids in and out of here. Cara? Greef?”

Thell nodded. “They’re okay. I’ve seen them a few times over the week, and they’re alright. They found us... Hours after everything happened.”

“And you... You’re okay?”

She blinked softly. “Yes... A few broken ribs and a concussion, but I’ll manage. Nothing worse than what you have... But that thing. That droid, Din... Something happened, after the detonator went off.” Din paused, waiting for her to speak again. “It projected a holo of Moff Gideon.”

She saw the muscles in his face tighten. “What did he say?”

“He knew my name... And yours,” Thell told him. “He threatened us, and the kid. He’s known about us the whole time, I think ever since I first started traveling with you. He said he has my face in their records...” Thell wiped at a tear streaking down her face. “Everywhere we go... He’ll just try to find us again.”

“I’m not letting that happen,” Din said, his voice hard.

She gripped his hand, tight. “Me either... You’re both too important to me.” Her eyes traveled back down to the kid, sleeping in Din’s bent arm.

“Thell.”

Brown eyes met brown. “Yes?”

“Thank you... For everything.”

Smiling softly, Thell leaned forward, kissing his forehead before moving down in between his eyes. She felt his cheeks lift in a small smile as she rubbed the bridge of her nose against his, letting her fingertips rest against the curve of his jaw. Thell didn’t kiss immediately, content enough just to look back at him, her soul feeling at peace at the three of them being back together again. It had been months, weeks of worrying over the kid, and here he was, safe again in his dad’s arms. She knew she wouldn’t need much in life besides this; yes, this would suffice perfectly, making up for everything bad that had happened to her in the past and everything that would happened in the future.

She kissed him again, bending her chin down he didn’t have to strain as much. She felt him sigh into her mouth as he kissed her back, his free hand raising and tangling into the hair at the nape of her neck. Din wasn’t as needy as before, content to lay there while they kissed softly, Thell using her fingers to curl into his hair, brushing it away from his face, behind his ear.

“Also... I didn’t know you were so obsessed with my hair,” Thell teased between kisses.

Din blinked. “What?”

“In that train car... You mentioned how when I touched my hair it drove you crazy... Come to think of it, you did start touching my hair a lot since you found me.”

“ _Kar’ta,”_ Din sneered, running his knuckles over her cheek. “It’s not like you can blame me... Granted, I don’t remember all of what I said... Kriff, you’re gonna use this against me, aren’t you?”

“Me?” Thell joked. “You know me well enough. I would never.” She smirked and shot him a small wink, enjoying when a hesitant blush crept into his cheeks. She bent forward, pecking him lightly before a knock came from the door behind him. She had wanted to kiss him more, but the knock came again, and she groaned, pulling away. Making eye contact with Din, his eyes flickered to his helmet, and Thell understood immediately. Scooting the chair over, Thell grabbed Din’s helmet and assisted in putting it on before answering. Cara Dune walked in, hesitantly peeking past the door before walking in.

“Thought I would pay the love birds a visit,” she said, walking with her arms crossed before she came to stand beside them. Thell felt her face heat at the comment and pulled hair over her face as Cara approached. No use in hiding it now. “Good to see you, Mando.”

She extended an arm, lightly clasping Din’s wrist as he spoke. “You too.”

“You didn’t tell me he was awake,” Thell remarked, but not out of spite or anger. In fact, she was a bit marveled.

Cara only shrugged. “Just woke up a few hours ago, according to the droids. Thought you would want to be the first to see him.”

Thell blinked away tears. “Well... Thank you. You and Greef doing okay?”

“Yeah, the troopers were bad shots anyway,” Cara said with a distasteful tone. “Didn’t take too much firepower.”

“Good,” Din said quietly.

They conversed for a few moments, talking about the mission and as much of it that Din and Thell could remember. Grogu was still asleep, snoring in Din’s arm, even when Cara went to leave.

“Hey, Cara?” Thell called after her, twisting in the wheelchair.

“Yeah, kid?” She said, eyebrow raised as she held onto the corner of the door.

“Do you... Do you think someone could bring another bed in here?” Thell asked, but glanced back at Din. “If that’s okay?” Din didn’t object, only lightly dipping the helmet which made Thell’s heart soar.

Thell fell asleep as close to Din as she could be, separated by the barrier of the two beds being squished against each other. She still had to sleep propped up to avoid any damage to her ribs while he lay completely on his back, unable to turn on his side. She could sense his discomfort, the twitching of his feet under the blankets and how he breathed heavily in the quiet room. Grogu was sleeping in Din’s arm, and Thell could see the outline of his broad nose in the soft light. Maybe it was because she had never seen his face while he was trying to fall asleep before, or in such pain, but she couldn’t help the tear that slid down her face.

“Din?” She whispered, sliding her hand out from under the blanket and over to his. She saw his eyelashes flutter, the way his eyes turned towards her. “You alright?” He hadn’t slid his hand over to her’s, and there was only so much her arm could extend without causing pain in her chest.

Din didn’t speak for a long moment, his breathing almost labored as he shifted on the bed. Thell saw how his eyes squeezed shut, his nose turned up when he tried to readjust himself. Did he always look this distraught when he was hurt, going after bounties or getting shot at? She knew the initial blasts didn’t hurt, but the aftereffects must have been hell. She had yet to see much of his skin besides his face and hands, and wondered if bruises marked his body as much as freckles marked her’s.

“Din,” Thell pressed, straining her fingers. “Talk to me... Please.”

He finally moved, hand finding her’s and holding securely. His skin was like fire, his grip like a chokehold that wouldn’t budge, like he was trying to ground himself to her.

“ _Runi,_ are you okay?”

“I can’t...” Din started, speaking quietly, but his voice was strained. “I can’t even hold you.”

Thell’s eyes welled with tears. “It’s okay,” she managed to croak, feeling weary herself. “You will, once we’re better. That’s what we need to do, we just need to get better and everything can go back the way it was. We’ll be okay... You can hold me as much as you want after all of this is over, even if I’m sick or cranky or annoying. I won’t care.”

“I just...” Din stopped, his voice trailing off.

“I know. It’s okay,” she assured him, squeezing his hand. “Seriously. Once we’re okay, I’m going to hug you so much you might just have to rip me off you. You’re going to get so tired of me, I can see it now.”

She had meant for it to ease him, and she saw the slightest curve of his lip move upwards, lightening the weight on her heart.

“I won’t ever get tired of you, _kar’ta.”_

. . . .

“Din?” Thell called, poking her head around the door.

It had been another week and a half of intensive care, bacta treatments, and the like. They had both healed extremely well, save for the bruises and scars the incident would leave. The advanced medical supplies and the droids fared well compared to the supplies on the Razor Crest, and they had both been able to walk on their own just the week before. After that, it had just been time doing its work, healing them within days.

Thell had just come back from the fresher with wet hair back into the room they had been sharing for weeks, Din nowhere to be seen. Grogu was playing with that silver orb from the Razor Crest on the foot of Din’s cot, surrounded by a blanket that had been tossed to the side. Quirking a brow, Thell stepped forward, throwing her towel onto her own bed as she padded across the room.

“Where’s your dad, pal?” Thell asked Grogu, which caused him to make a small inquisitive sound and look up at her with curious eyes.

As quiet as he had always been, using every ounce of his experience as a bounty hunter, Din had crept up behind her, wrapping his arms gently around her waist. Thell flinched, raising her arms above her waist and laughing awkwardly.

 _“Kriff!”_ She exclaimed, hearing him chuckle lowly behind her. “Gosh, Din, you scared me.”

“Sorry, _kar’ta,”_ Din grumbled and dug his face into her hair, lips just brushing her skin as he kissed the back of her neck, moving down so she could feel his breath on the shell of her ear. Goosebumps raced up Thell’s arms, and she squeezed Din’s forearm, getting his attention.

“Gentle, Din,” Thell told him, tilting her head. “Still hurts sometimes.”

Din turned her slowly, releasing his hold on her waist as he slowly turned her, holding onto her biceps instead. His hair was ruffled, his brown eyes glinting with a curious glow as he looked down at her.

“Sorry,” he whispered, his eyes falling.

Thell only shook her head.”No, it’s okay, you didn’t hurt me.”

“You feeling okay?” He asked as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms.

“Yeah, you?” Thell asked, smiling wide when he nodded. “We haven’t had this in a while... you and me, on our feet. Back to some type of normalcy.”

When he understood her fully, he leaned down, having Thell stand on her tiptoes to meet his lips. She placed her hands over his chest, able to feel his quickened heartbeat under her palm, even more so when she placed one hand over the back of his neck, pushing him closer. Din sighed into her mouth, his hands on her waist and squeezing lightly. A chill broke out along her arms, making her tremble and tug at his hair, causing him to groan deep in his chest. He pulled away just momentarily, pressing a sloppy kiss to the corner of her mouth before gently cupping her cheek with one hand.

“ _Din,”_ she whispered, smoothing her hand down over his back. He stopped suddenly, making Thell crease her brows in concern and try to pull away. “Wha-“

“Someone’s watching us.”

Thell twisted to look over her shoulder, seeing Grogu peering at them with wide, curious eyes. He tilted his head and cooed as they looked in his direction. Thell sighed, the smirk rising on her face as Din added, “Well, that’s embarrassing.”

“Maybe he doesn’t know what we’re doing,” Din interjected.

Thell shrugged. “Maybe. I think he’s actually a lot smarter than we give him credit for.”

“Sometimes I forget he’s here with us.”

“Yeah,” Thell added, gently kissing Din’s cheek. “We really can’t get a moment’s peace anywhere we are, can we?”

“Guess so... Din muttered, then suddenly drew back, rubbing his thumbs on her arms. His warm eyes were concentrated down, focused on the ground. “They said we’re free to go in a few days.”

Thell pressed her chin into his chest, having to strain her eyes to look up at him clearly. “No sign of Gideon?”

Din shrugged. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Okay,” Thell whispered, and pressed herself into Din’s chest, wrapping her arms tight around his waist but avoiding where he had been stabbed. He held her closer than he had in weeks, and she could feel the tension leave his body as she dug her nose into his sternum, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. She could feel him do the same, nestling his face into her hair and running a single hand down her spine. Had he truly hugged her like this before, without the armor, as deeply attached to her as he was now?

Maybe he had.

Or maybe not.

In any case, she sank into him, letting the sound of his steady heartbeat lull her into an endless calm.

. . . .

Thell watched from afar as Din spoke with Cara and Greef, holding Grogu in her arms. The kid was holding onto her thumb, his ears flickering as he watched the Mandalorian converse with their friends. The sun was just rising over the volcanic hills of Nevarro, mist steaming from the ground and around their feet. They had loaded their things back onto the Razor Crest, along with Thell’s armor and blaster. In the midst, she had caught a glimpse of the silver headpiece from Naboo that Din had given her, and the memories of him saying it was a placeholder for something greater both haunted and excited her.

When they seemed to be done with their conversation, and Din motioned her over with a simple dip of his head, Thell wandered over, handing Grogu back to the Mandalorian. She knew Cara Dune wasn’t one for hugs, but not knowing when she would see her again and knowing what she had already done for them, Thell couldn’t resist wrapping her arms around the seasoned warrior.

 _“Dank Ferrik,”_ Cara laughed, patting her back. “Didn’t realize how affectionate your girl was, Mando.”

She could hear both Cara and Greef chuckling under their breath, knowing Din was probably blushing or rolling his eyes under the helmet. Greef was standing beside Cara, and instead of shaking his hand like Din had done, Thell leaped forward to squeeze him into a hug as well. She didn’t know the two of them well, but they had sacrificed everything for the three of them, gotten them out safely, and protected them when they couldn’t do it themselves.

“Thank you, Greef, just for everything,” Thell said as she drew away. “We could have never gotten the kid back if you guys weren’t there.”

Greef Karga stood with his hands on his waist, grinning at her with that comforting fatherly smile. “It’s been an honor. Just keep that Mandalorian in check, alright?”

Thell smiled, throwing a quick glance at Din. “Absolutely.”

“And take care of the little one,” Greef said, reaching forward to pat Grogu’s head. “He takes care of you, too.”

Thell nodded appreciatively, turning to Din as he started to walk away. But Cara moved from the corner of her eye, making her stop. “There is something I have to tell you before you three scurry out of here.”

“What is it?” Din asked.

“I have a contact,” Cara said, and she went to look directly at Thell. “Someone that could get your face off Gideon’s database for good if you decided.”

“... Decided what?” Thell asked.

“To disappear.”

Thell’s mouth went dry. “Wh... Disappear? What does that entail?”

Cara stepped closer, crossing her arms. “This guy, my contact, he’s a double agent in a way. Been through pre-Empire grids, knows his stuff. He could get you wiped from anything in Gideon’s database having to do with you, but you’d have to completely start over. New name, new home, occupation, whatever... And no contact with those you know now.”

Thell’s eyes immediately flickered to Din and the kid in his arms. “I... I don’t understand. What does that mean?”

“No contact, meaning... Even if you were heard talking over a comm with them, or seen in the daylight with them, someone would see. Someone would find out. Even though the Emperor was destroyed, his supporters are everywhere.”

Thell swallowed hard. “I don’t know... I don’t _know_ anyone else.”

“That’s kind of the point, kid,” Cara pressed.

The Mandalorian suddenly moved from the corner of her eye, alerting her. “Can I talk to you?”

Casting a wary glance in his direction, Thell nodded, following after him when Din went to stand a few yards from overhearing ears. Grogu murmured in Din’s arms, gazing up between the two of them as Din leaned down.

“You... You could be free, Thell. This is a chance for you to get away from all of this danger, this violence. You could start a life for yourself, stay on Naboo or something. This is your best chance at the life you always wanted... You told me yourself the night we met that’s all you wanted, a fresh start. You wouldn’t have to be afraid anymore.”

Early morning sun was shining on the Beskar, making it glow like a fire. Thell let her gaze linger over the Mandalorian’s helmet for what felt like hours, silent, debating her options, her future, when she knew it was already standing in front of her.

“No.”

She imagined Din blinking back at her from under the helmet. “W-What? No?”

“No, Din,” Thell repeated, dipping her head.

“Thell...”

“I’m not making the same mistake my parents did,” Thell said. “Yes, my mother did it for everyone’s best interest and me and my father’s safety... But look at what it costed them. My parents never saw each other again. I was left without a father my entire life. He never got to see me again after my mom left. Maybe they were happy on the outside but I _know_ nothing hurt them more then being apart.”

“But you were safe... You could be safe, if you did this.”

“And that’s what you want?”

Din threw a hand up. “Kriff, of course that’s what I want! I’ve only ever wanted you safe.”

“Din... What do you really want though?”

He stilled, taking a long second before responding quietly. “You... But this could be your chance, Thell. A chance at that life you always dreamed of.”

Thell blinked. “... But we wouldn’t be together.”

Din stilled, the helmet dipping forward. “I know...”

Thell stepped forward, having to tilt her chin to look up at him clearly. “I’ve seen more in these past six months than I have in the last twenty nine years. I’ve visited planets I only ever dreamed of, and met the kindest of people. Sure... It hasn’t all been easy, I’ll admit that. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it to me, or I wouldn’t do it all over again. I would, a hundred times over. Even the bad stuff, Din, even that. Because it brought me to you, and to him,” Thell whispered, running her hand over Grogu’s head, and then to gently cup the side of Din’s helmet. “And you. _Kriff,_ you brave, selfless man. You’ve shown me so much of what it means to have courage, and get me out of my own head for once. When I’m with you, even if we aren’t doing anything, I feel so loved. I feel _seen..._ No one’s managed to do that in a long time. But not only that, I feel like I see _myself_ because of it.”

Thell paused, gathering her thoughts as she gripped Din’s hand, the one holding onto Grogu. “The Razor Crest... It isn’t just some ship to me anymore... _It’s home._ But only because it's filled with the people I hold dearest. I’m not choosing the path my parents did. Sure, they did it for their safety, but I’m tired of choosing the route that makes me the most comfortable. Because it means it takes me away from you guys... I want to make my own path now, a different one then when I started all of this that night on Bespin... And I know it won’t be safe, or easy, or anything that I dreamed of having when I was a kid. But not choosing this makes me selfish, and I don’t want to be added onto that list of people that have left you. Because your my _runi,_ a piece of my soul walking around outside of me. You both are. My path is clear now... And it’s with Grogu. And you.”

The Mandalorian gazed down at her for a solid minute, his chest rising and falling slowly under his armor. Thell wasn’t worried; she knew he was just processing silently, like he always did. She had given him a lot to think about.

“I... What do you want, Thell?” He finally asked.

_“I don’t have anywhere to go.”_

_The man stopped mid walk, and the small child peeked at Thell from over his shoulder._

_“What are you, a servant?”_

_Thell fought the urge to roll her eyes. “More or less.”_

_“Not my problem.”_

_“You don’t understand,” Thell pressed, taking another brave step forward. “I’m alone here.”_

_“What do you want?” The Mandalorian grumbled, throwing her a sideways glance._

It had been over half a year since she had first met him that night on Bespin, when he had been nothing more than an armored warrior to her and she a servant to him. Now, it was different, a vastly stark contrast to anything they had both imagined or dreamed of.

So, when he asked her, it wasn’t anywhere close to the tones he had used that first night. It was him _asking her,_ wanting her honest opinion above anything else. No deceit, no underlying reasons.

Thell took a step towards him, extending her arm to find his hand. It was warm, even with the glove, and she slid her fingers between his, squeezing as gently as she could.

“Him,” Thell told Din, looking at Grogu and caressing his smooth head with her other hand before looking back up at Din. He was still wearing the helmet, a stark contrast to the warmth of his face. But she knew he was looking back at her with those big, endearing brown eyes.

“And you... Just you. It’s all I want, Din.”

“Are you sure?”

Thell nodded. “It’s all I’m ever going to need.”

Even though Greef and Cara were standing close by, and the Mandalorian didn’t seem one to show physical affection in public, he moved to hug her with one arm. She melted into him, pressing her face into his chest plates beside Grogu’s head as his arm moved across her back, holding her firmly. His hand didn’t move up and down her back like it usually did when he hugged her; instead, his thumb rubbed circles into her shirt just above her waist, a nearly intimate action for such a public setting. She could feel the lip of his helmet dig into her shoulder, the cold Beskar of the mask pressing into her hair as Grogu cooed softly beside her.

“I love you, Din,” Thell , the words having never been more true.

“I love you, too... Now, come on,” he whispered beside her ear, and Thell swore she heard the smile on his lips. “I have a promise to keep.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, thank you so, so much for reading. it still amazes me that so many people are enjoying this story and have stuck with it, and continue to leave absolutely amazing things to say!! any guesses as to where they might be going or what they're doing?? :)) the fam's all back together!!  
> the next chapter will be the last one, sadly. i have loved writing this book. it's a part of my heart now, and always will be. and of course i wouldn't even love it as half as much if ya'll weren't all so supportive and loving. i am so immensely proud of this book. the next chapter will be the last one besides the epilogue which will basically be like a little "bonus scene" sort of thing. i hope i make you guys happy :)) <33 all my love!!


	34. Chapter Thirty Three: Constellations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. Here it is, ya'll. The last chapter of the first book that I have ever finished. I am beyond proud of it. It makes me so happy to know this book has touched so many of you. I am beyond thankful for all the support and love. I never expected to write a few chapters, no less an entire book longer than harry potter or the hobbit!! <33 the epilogue and a lengthy thank you will be up soon!! :))  
> Anyways, here's some good "mood" songs to listen to while reading this, inspired by the ones I listened to while writing it!  
> * "East" by Sleeping at Last  
> * "Sparks" by Coldplay(any OTP's anthem... but this song is especially special to Thell/Din for me)  
> * "To The Mountains" and "Apple Pie" by Lizzy McAlpine... Mountains is the song that gave me the inspiration to write this chapter and end it in the way that I did. It really sums up the mood and feel of this chapter for me, and where Thell ends up. :)  
> 

“You’re really not going to tell me?”

“Nope.”

“For real? I don’t get any hints or anything?”

“Nothing.”

Thell groaned, slumping back against her seat and keeping her hands over her eyes. Grogu sat in his usual seat beside her, strapped in and surrounded by a mass of blankets. She could hear him murmuring softly to himself, probably playing with that silver orb Din had given back to him as soon as they entered the Razor Crest.

They had been flying for hours through hyperspace, but the ship suddenly jerked, alerting Thell that they had entered some type of atmosphere. Din had been quiet ever since they left Nevarro, never sharing too much about where they were headed or what they were doing. All Thell knew was that they were finally together again, back in the Crest after all this time. Grogu in his seat, Din piloting the ship. The right way of things.

The ship lurched under Thell’s feet, and she could hear Din fumbling in his seat beside her.

“Keep your eyes closed,” Din told her as he unbuckled her from her seat, helping to her feet. She wandered blindly down into the cargo hold, one hand on Din’s arm. She could hear Grogu babbling in his arms as she heard the drop of the telescopic ramp, and a light breeze flowed inside the cargo hold. The air tasted almost sweet on Thell’s tongue, and outside, she could hear the soft sounds of birdsong, the distant rush of water.

“Any guesses?”

“Hmm,” Thell murmured, chewing on her lip. “Probably not Trask, right? I don’t smell any fish.”

Din chuckled beside her, a sound that lifted her heart. “Open your eyes, _kar’ta.”_

They were back on Naboo, months later. It looked as beautiful as Thell remembered it, but even more so. The green of the grass was more vivid, the distant waterfalls crystalline in the bright light. Overhead, flocks of birds flew above in the cloudless sky, squawking and disappearing into the forest around them. This was a different field than the last one, Din having landed the Razor Crest in a more densely forested area, like they were hiding out on purpose.

“Din...?” She questioned, already turning her head to see him stripping his helmet. His dark hair stuck to his head, but he shook it out, falling in gentle waves across his forehead and ears. Grogu made a small awed sound as he tilted his back to look at the Mandalorian, and Thell felt the same wonder wash over her. She would never tire of seeing his face; she hadn’t seen him in fresh sunlight like this before, looking as healthy and confident as he did. He caught her staring, brown eyes flickering in her direction and making Thell blush and look away. Maybe they had confessed their love for each other, even slept beside each other for nights on end, but he still made her feel like everything was brand new. He still made her feel like a love struck teenager.

Thell looked out across the field, spotting large, towering shapes in the distance, almost poking out above where the clouds would have sat.

Thell squinted, tilting her head. “Are those...?”

“Mountains,” Din finished it for her, stepping closer so they stood shoulder to shoulder. “We’ll go into town, get a few things, and head up there when the sun sets.”

Thell leaned against his arm holding Grogu. “It sounds wonderful... It feels like a lifetime since we were last here, Din. Everything was so different back then.”

“You almost died here.”

The images of the squid wrapping around her leg flashed in her mind, when she had thought she was done for because Din hadn’t seen her as it had tugged her underwater. But it had been the complete opposite: Din had stayed nearer to her during that time than he had any time before, offering her soup and blankets and a shoulder to sleep on. They had started holding each other’s hand during that time, finding comfort in one another’s presence by the firelight. Ones where they shared stories of their childhoods and the experiences that had helped shape them.

“What about Gideon?” Thell asked. “Won’t they just find us again?”

To her utmost relief, Din shook his head. “Not for a while. No tracking chips on the Crest, or the kid. If we keep a low profile, don’t show our faces, we should be just fine.”

Thell beamed. “It feels strange. After all this time, after everything that’s happened to us, we’re alone again. We’re back together... How it’s supposed to be.”

. . . . .

With a hood covering her face and her blaster tucked into the back of her pants, Thell made her way into town, gathering the supplies they needed while having Din on the other end of her commlink the entire time. She knew she probably wouldn’t need it, but she wore the armor anyway under her cloak, feeling as if the Mudhorn symbol on the chest plate was radiating a calm into her very heart. The city felt safe; no wandering stormtroopers or supports of the Empire roaming the streets. The villagers were as nice as she remembered, and Thell even recognized the older woman that had tried to sell her the headpiece. The one that Din had eventually bought for her anyway.

Her pack was heavy and her hands were sore as she finally made her way back to Din, shrouded in the darkness of the forest surrounding the village. When they made their way back to the Razor Crest and Thell had shed her armor, the sun was just beginning to set, casting pink and orange glows across the sky, scattering it in soft light.

“So, what’s the plan, Djarin?” Thell asked.

“Come.”

Thell turned, seeing Din’s extended hand before the calm look on his face. She was still getting used to it, wondering just how long it would take her to fully understand his expressions. She saw him learning, watching her reactions to try and match her facial expressions. His movements were sometimes still too exaggerated, or not obvious enough.

But his extended hand, the one free from the glove like it had been all those months ago, was natural, a habit that formed between them months ago. She understood that, even before she saw him under the mask for the first time. He had done this all those nights in the garden under a canopy of starlight and in the midst of soft music. He was wearing a loose grey shirt now, the sleeves just cutting off halfway down his biceps, and stretchy cargo pants. With his hair slightly ruffled and the armor gone, he looked like someone out of Thell’s dreams.

So slipped her hand into his, watching the shy smile creep onto his lips as he turned, leading her up into the forest. The woods were dark, shrouding them in an almost eerie blackness. The sky above them had been dark, just the smallest of stars beginning to reveal themselves as they stepped into the pines. But Thell wasn’t frightened, or even hesitant to follow Din into the woods with Grogu bouncing in the hood of her cloak. The woods had become home, a safe haven with the familiarity of soft bark crunching under her boots and the soft whisper of wind through the leaves and pine needles. It was quiet save for the ground moving under their feet and the softness of wind; the animals seemed to have hidden away for the night, sleeping comfortably in their homes among the tangles of brambles and tree trunks.

She could feel Grogu moving in her hood as they climbed the hill, sometimes putting his small hands on her shoulders to peer beside her head. Having the kid so close, even without seeing him, put Thell’s heart at ease. Her boys were back together, safe for the time being. If they had gone through all of that together, the separation, the physical and mental pain, who was to say they couldn’t fight their way through it again, just to end up happy and content on the other side?

Thell gladly followed Din through the woods as he led her, his quiet confidence and surety resting any anxiety in her body. At one point, she stumbled over a root, and Din was quick and precise to catch her before she face planted. He even took Grogu gently from her hod, balancing out her weight again, instead putting the child on his shoulders. Din’s width was broad, and even though his hair was short, Grogu seemed content enough to ride his dad’s shoulders for the remainder of their hike, small hands dug into his mane. Thell ruffled the wispy hairs on his head, laughing along with him as the kid giggled behind Din. She could even see the soft upward curve on the right side of his lip, even bouncing on his feet once to make the kid laugh again.

Eventually they made their way to a border of trees, and Din’s hand squeezed her’s tightly. Curious, they drew on, making their way past the border and onto a mountain bald. Ankle high grass surrounded the top of the mountain, dipping off on soft edges into more forest. The wind was surprisingly soft up here, no more than a slight chill in the night Naboo air. They were completely alone, surrounded by nothing save for the mountains and the nature around them. Surrounding them, even more mountains, ones that were fading into the blackness of night.

But it wasn’t even the mountains that caught Thell’s attention the most: it was the stars.

Overhead lay a black canvas sprinkled with starlight, bright bursts of colors and stark beams of white. Comets, planets in the distance, stars clearer than she had ever witnessed. They surrounded the three of them on all sides, blanketing them in darkness despite the glow of the moon overhead. Even on Bespin, she had never seen the stars so clearly, so close she felt like she could reach out and touch them. She heard movement behind her, the clatter of their packs hitting the ground and Grogu’s happy burbling approaching as Din stepped beside her. She hadn’t even realized he had let go of her hand until then.

“Din...” she breathed, already feeling the oxygen leaving her lungs at the beauty and wonder of the majesty above their heads.

“Do you... like it?” Din asked, his eyes trying to catch the emotions in her face.

Thell laughed, but it was almost more like a sob. “Like it? Din, this is amazing, just amazing.” She threw her arms around his shoulders, knocking him off balance and making him grunt. “Sorry!” She whispered, which only made him chuckle above her ear. She could see Grogu peek out from behind his head, making curious sounds as she pulled away.

They left Grogu sitting on the blanket Din had laid out, pulling aside the food items that Thell had gathered in the village. For once, eating together was not rushed, or plagued by one of their family members absences. It was calm, oddly quiet even when Thell laughed from something Din said to her, completely unaware of his own dry humor. Grogu watched them curiously for several seconds, but afterwards, always went back to being occupied by his own food.

Thell had just been putting away their plates when she sensed Din standing over her. She looked up, meeting his brown eyes before noticing the hand that was extended to her.

“What are you doing?” She asked with a small laugh rising in her throat.

Something sparkled in those warm eyes. “Dance with me, Thell.”

All those months ago on Naboo, before she had seen his face or even held his hand. Before they had told each other anything close to their feelings. Starlight in a garden. Soft instrumental music. Hidden faces and hidden hearts.

She had noticed it as soon as they landed; Din was lighter, his shoulders not as tense as they usually were. He seemed freer, and she couldn’t blame him. She hadn’t felt happiness like this in months.

But Din’s was different. He had been smiling easier, his steps lighter, his laughter just a little louder on the top of this mountain. Seeing him like this was like seeing him completely rid of the armor, not just physically, but emotionally. The armor was just an empty shell without him wearing it, and perhaps Din had felt empty when he was stripped of it. But here, that no longer seemed to be the case. Din was changing, right in front of her very eyes.

They had left all their armor in the Razor Crest, every ounce of their past lives or expectations hidden for the time being. For now, they could just be purely themselves, the people they had never allowed themselves to be.

Leaving Grogu to watch them with wide eyes on the blanket, Thell let Din haul her up, his other hand immediately going on her back. Thell flinched, surprised by how quick his actions were, how absolutely sure of himself he was. But there was something too, something cold and light that was placed on her head. Thell reached her free hand up, touching the familiar cold metal of the headpiece Din had bought her. Her lips shook with emotion as she looked back his way, hoping she could communicate just how grateful she was.

“I thought you said you didn’t know how to dance,” Thell remarked.

“Lucky for you,” Din replied in a low voice. “I have a good teacher.”

Thell could practically feel her face flush, even when she went to grasp Din’s bicep in one hand and his palm in her other. Their chests slightly brushing, Din towering over her smaller height like he always did. There was no music to guide them, not like the last time, the only sound being the harmony of wind in the trees and rustling the grass of the mountain peak. But Din seemed so steadfast, so willing, that it pushed her on.

She swayed slightly at first, using her head and shoulders to show him how to move, feet moving softly in the grass. He caught on quicker than she would have thought, his feet moving in sync with her’s despite the lack of music. She couldn’t help but beam up at him, her smile so wide it hurt her cheeks.

He suddenly lifted her arm, freeing her waist and attempting to spin her with one arm. She only knocked into his arm, making the both of them laugh and attempting to correct the spin. After a moment, he did, trying again. Wind rushed through her hair as she spun outwards, stretching forward until she could see the shadows of the mountain tops across the horizon. And suddenly being pulled forward again, practically slamming up against Din and making both of them groan on impact.

“ _Kriff,”_ Din cursed under his breath and trying not to fall over. “Sorry, Thell.”

But she only shook her head, trying to contain her laughter. “It’s okay... Oh, wait.”

She had felt a soft tug on her pant leg, and looked to see Grogu at her feet. He was pawing at her calf like how he sometimes did with Din, begging her to lift him.

“I thought I felt someone staring at me,” Thell remarked before bending down to scoop the kid into her arms. “Looks like someone wants to dance with us.”

They did, switching between holding the kid or letting him sit on Din’s shoulders, which seemed to be his new favorite spot. Sometimes he would tug hard on Din’s hair, making him sigh heavily and try to grab at the kid, which only made him laugh. Thell continued to dance with Din, sometimes sloppily, mostly messy, both falling into each other and not even caring. Every now and then, Thell caught a glimpse of Grogu, of his wide dark eyes staring at them in pure wonder, his mouth open as he giggled in pure joy.

Thell wasn’t even sure how much time had passed when they finally stopped moving, Thell’s arms latched around Din’s neck, panting against his cheek. He was doing the same, his skin almost sticky with sweat. But she could tell he was happy, not just from the way he smiled down at her as he pulled away, leaving a soft kiss on her forehead. No, it was in the way he ran his hand through her hair, running his hand down her spine that seemed almost intimate, something he would have never done in front of someone else. And then he drew her close to him, nuzzling into her cheek and whispering how much he loved her.

The kid had worn himself out, lolling in Thell’s arms before she wrapped him in a spare blanket Din had brought, laying him gently at her feet as they sat back on the blanket. She admired him sweetly, brushing the soft wisps on his forehead as he slowly dozed off, making weak grabby hands at her and cooing sleepily. Bending down, Thell kissed his forehead, nearly crying when Grogu began to smile in his sleep.

She placed the headpiece from Din beside him, admiring how the green gem shone bright in the moonlight. When she pulled away, sitting criss cross on the blanket beside Din, she could see him from the corner of her eye, the shape of his nose, the strength in his brow. He looked relaxed, slightly hunched over as his eyes lay miles ahead. Eventually, he must have sensed her staring, because he turned to look at her, brown eyes burning into her’s.

“What is it?”

Thell blinked up at him, entranced by his gentleness and his intuition. “You... You look at me like you really see me.”

Din blinked once, eyes curious as they wandered over her face before saying, “What do you mean?”

“I mean... Most of my life I just wanted someone that looked at me and wasn’t scared by who I was. Or judgemental. Or... Tried to make me into someone I wasn’t. And you’re that person, Din. You look at me just as I am, and you’ve never tried to change me for it.”

“You didn’t need to change,” Din told her. “... You never needed fixing, Thell.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and she turned, facing the stars again and wiping at her cheeks. “You don’t know what those words mean to me... I felt like I had to change myself growing up, I had to change to satisfy the needs of others... But I don’t need to anymore. I... I really like that about myself now. I feel like I can be myself with anyone now and not feel embarrassed, or pressured to be someone else. I like... Being understood, and being accepted for who I already am.”

“Me too,” Din said, gazing down at her with starlight in his eyes. Thell leaned forward, hand resting on his shoulder as she kissed his cheek. Din warmed, smiling down contently at her as he leaned the side of his head on her’s.

“You know... Everything that we’ve been through... Finding out about my family, getting separated, learning the truth about my parents through that... _man._ Even getting Grogu back, and nearly dying. It wasn’t for nothing; none of it was. Maybe it seemed dire and terrible in the moment, but looking back... It’s funny how things change. How our perspectives change. I thought I could have been happy working for Darand for the rest of my life. I had a secure job after all, a house that I was safe in... But looking back, I wasn’t. I could have never been happy there. I would have never been free. And not just because I was a servant. So many things in that house were tying me down.”

“Are you happy though?” Din asked in a serious tone. “Now?”

“It’s not even happiness that I feel anymore,” Thell remarked, wrapping her arms over her legs and tugging her knees into her chest. She fumbled absentmindedly with her father’s necklace, the symbol of the Clan she would always be attached to. “It’s something more... Joy, I think. Yeah... That’s what I would call it.”

“Something more...” Din repeated under his breath. “What makes it different?”

Thell pondered for a moment, feeling Din’s hand on her opposite shoulder, gently playing with the ends of her hair. “It’s kind of hard to explain... It’s like when you used to cover me in that blanket on the Crest, or when you took care of me after I hurt my back. Or when you... Put that purple flower on my pillow last time we were here. It’s things like that. Little, tiny things. Things that we forget about after the fact, but they build into greater things. They help the big things, like this, like when you gave me the armor, to feel even greater. It’s happiness, yeah, but... It’s also joy, too. Like exceptional, endless happiness. It stays there even when I’m sad, or scared. Like when I was drugged in that base. The thing that kept me going was the memory of the constellations, which turned into memories with you. That’s what I mean about joy being endless.” Thell found Din’s free hand, bringing it up to her knee so she could caress her thumb over his skin. “What about you? What’s your... Joy, I guess?”

As he pulled away, Thell watched as Din’s eyes slowly traveled from the skyline down to Grogu, who was sleeping at his feet. The kid looked the most at peace Thell had seen him in days, the silver glow from the moon turning the wispy hairs on his head crystalline.

“Him,” Din said after a long moment, and Thell could tell he was struggling to find the right words. It would be a learning process for them both, coming out of their shells in different ways. She rubbed a hand up and down his back, feeling his sternum shudder as she touched him. Din was different than any one else she had ever met, and not just because she loved him. She had never expected a Mandalorian, a renowned bounty hunter who fought with expert skill and precision to act like he was. Underneath, even without much prodding, Din was gentle, passionate, driven, and exceptionally kind.

“And... You know. The stars, I guess,” Din added, and at first, Thell creased her brows. But she saw the glimmer in his eyes, the way he kept peeking at her from the corner of his eye, and the small smirk that rose on his face.

“Din Djarin, you tease!” Thell exclaimed, shoving into him with both arms. Din chuckled, removing the hand from her back to keep himself sitting up. He pushed into her shoulder to show her he was joking, quieting beside her again as Thell’s laughter faded.

“I guess you’re fine, too,” Din commented, but something soft grew over his features, and even his voice went quiet. “More than fine, Thell. Joy doesn’t even compare.”

His eyes flickered to her mouth, and for the hundredth time that day, Thell felt her heart race. Things had yet to get old with Din; she wondered if they ever would. She bent forward slowly, raising one both hands to his chest, her right one over his heart. Her left hand moved past his collarbone, sliding over the material of the shirt he was wearing and across his skin. There was a slight chill on it from the wind, but other than that, he was warm. Fingers found the hair at the bottom of his neck, tangling softly, running her hand through his locks. Din seemed content, letting out a soft, pleased hum as he leaned forward, taking her face in his hands. He still didn’t kiss her, keeping a few inches between them. He was practically gazing into her soul, brown eyes burning into her with a devotion she had only ever seen him look at the kid with.

His thumbs rubbed into the soft skin below her eyes, his longest fingers just brushing her ears, the wisps of her hair surrounding her head. Din didn’t smile very freely often, but he was now, even the dimple on his right cheek becoming more apparent. Thell couldn’t keep her eyes off him, memorizing the soft lines of his face, the prominent outward curve of his nose, the faint scar between his eyes and above his nose she had just noticed. She loved his hair too, and how when it was more ruffled from being under the helmet he looked almost boyish. It was blowing lightly in the wind, tickling her left hand. Even the imperfections in his skin, the bags under his eyes, the obvious lines of age in his brow... She loved every bit of him, even the parts that others would dismiss.

His smile was perfect, but Kriff. She loved his eyes above everything else, the ones she had waited to see for so long. He said things with his eyes she knew he could never form in words. Incandescent, gleaming brown, revealing to her his strength and vulnerability all in one.

Din bent forward, pulling her face towards him, but he only kissed the corner of her mouth, surprising Thell. She smiled widely, blushing under his hands and wondering if he could tell in the dim light. Even if he did, he only gently tilted her head up, kissing her chin. He moved slowly, pecking each of her cheeks before leaving a last, lingering one on her forehead.

Every kiss on her skin was purposeful, as purposeful and special as she had done the same to him, weeks before. The night he had shown her his face for the first time, she had kissed him just the same, reminding him over and over again that she would never hurt him, leaving him with the memory of her lips on his skin instead of the bite of wounds and blaster shots.

“Don’t cry, _kar’ta,”_ came his soft voice through her closed eyes. When she opened them again, despite the unexpected tears blurring her vision, she could see Din, as clear as the stars overhead. “I’m not letting anyone else hurt you. I’m taking care of you... forever... _Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum._ ”

Thell couldn’t respond, she couldn’t find the rights words to. But she knew Din would understand. They had communicated without words before they truly knew each other.

But Din still didn’t kiss her, and Thell would have leaned in more before he suddenly moved away, turning on his side as he dug into the pack he had brought with them. Thell watched as he rustled through the bag, eventually finding what he was looking for and turning back to her. He pushed himself so he rested on his knees, casually sitting in front of her as Thell looked his way expectantly.

“I... I want to give you something,” Din started, and Thell could hear the obvious tremble in his voice. “You remember when I gave you the headpiece from Naboo?” Din asked, his voice gentle.

Thell cocked a brow. “Yes...”

“I said it was a placeholder... and that it signified something bigger than itself,” Din explained, slowly opening his hand. Thell peeked down, seeing a small, silver band sitting alone in Din’s open palm. She blinked, creasing her brows as she looked down at the item. “This ring... It’s made from my own Beskar.”

Thell glared up at him, astonished and insanely humbled. “Din...” she started.

But he raised his other hand, stopping her. “I know that this isn’t typical... Mandalorians, at least in the Watch, they don’t do things like this... But I want to do it differently. Everything that we’ve been through, everything you’ve done for the kid... It makes me think differently about the Creed.” Din paused, as if gathering his thoughts before he spoke quietly again. “I... I’ve never had this before, this type of... Companionship. Love... A belonging.”

Thell pushed her hair back, trying not to sob right then and there. His eyes flickered across her features, and she could tell her was nervous, so she leaned forward, giving him her full attention. 

“This ring... There’s a lot I could say about it, but I know one thing for sure,” Din said, glancing at the small glimmering piece of Beskar he held up. “I only want you wearing it... Only you, for as long as I live... If you accept.”

Thell smiled warmly, turning to copy his position, watching the amazement grow over his face, even taking over his eyes as she laid her hand across his knees.

“Yes,” she whispered through tears.

Din’s face stilled. “Really? You... You’re absolutely sure?”

“Yes... Of course I accept, Din.”

He released a deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he gingerly grasped her hand.

“You’re shaking,” Thell added, and Din released a trembling breath. “It’s okay, _runi.”_

Letting out a soft laugh, Din carefully slid the ring onto her finger, grinning to himself at the perfect fit. Thell admired it as he pulled his hand away, raising her own to glimpse at the ring in the soft moonlight. It shone like his armor always did, whether in rain or a sunset or under the moon. It was more than just a ring, more than just a piece of his own Beskar on her skin permanently.

Thell looked back over him, catching him already staring down at her.

“You saved me, Din Djarin,” she said softly. “All those months ago on Bespin. I probably would have died there if you hadn’t taken me with you... And you’ve saved me time and time again.”

His hands moved back to cup her face, more confident than he had ever been. “You saved me, too... You have no idea how much.”

He finally kissed her, using the hold on her face to keep him close to her. Thell practically melted, a soft moan leaving her throat as soon as their lips touched. Drawing her shoulders in, she ran her hand through the hair at the back of his head, earning her a low groan rising deep in his chest at the action. He kissed for just a few seconds before his hands moved, trailing down behind her shoulders and gripping under her arms to pull her forward. Thell obliged, rising higher on her knees so he was the one who had to tilt his head back to reach her. She moved her other hand to cradle his head, tugging at his hair so hard Thell swore she heard a growl deep in his throat.

The grip on her arms moved, trailing instead around her waist as Din leaned forward. Inhaling deeply, Thell placed a hand behind her on the blanket, slowly lowering her until her back nestled into the material. Din broke away for just a moment, as if to admire her face for a few mere seconds before kissing her again. His elbows resting beside her head, Din practically crushed himself against her, his knee digging into her thigh. The arms around her waist vanished, instead wrapping tight around the back of her shoulders and hugging Thell as close as he could. When he finally did break away, they were both panting, Din’s hot breath billowing over her face. Thell’s hands were in his hair, and it made her blush to see how ragged she had made it look.

“You okay?” Din whispered, a bit breathless.

Thell nodded, brushing hair away from his eyes. “Yeah.”

Din smiled warmly, gifting a soft, warm kiss instead of another passionate one. “I love you, _kar’ta.”_

She nearly sobbed, pulling him down to press their foreheads together. “I love you too, _runi.”_

“Pa-tu?”

Thell’s brows creased in confusion at the strange sound, and she watched the same expression grow on Din’s face before they both turned their heads at once, spotting Grogu just a few feet away from them, staring back with tired eyes as he pushed himself to sit up.

“ _Kriff,_ ” Thell cursed, but her heart lifted when Din laughed above her, pulling away and gently tugging the blankets back over the kid. After a moment of hesitation, Grogu finally complied, settling back down and closing his eyes. In pure wonder, Thell watched as Din brushed his hand over Grogu’s head in the tenderest of ways. He even bent down, lightly kissing the kid’s brow before sitting back again beside Thell.

“I’m making you one, too, by the way,” Thell whispered, her heart and soul full. “A ring.”

A soft kiss on her cheek. “I’d like that.”

“I like the sound of it too,” Thell added.

“What?”

She smiled, wider than she had before. “Thell Sai'Lya-Djarin.”

Something gleamed in Din’s brown eyes, and Thell knew he was thinking of the future. What did it look like to him? Bounty hunting, finding a safe haven for the kid? Did he dream of settling down and building a house? Din always seemed to be moving, and Thell wouldn’t mind a life where they were always visiting new planets.

In her mind, she didn’t care what they chose. As long as she had him, and the kid was safe, she would take whatever the galaxy offered her.

. . . .

Sunlight was just beginning to creep over the peaks of the mountains, turning the crests into a blazing orange fire. Overhead, Thell could still see the moon, just dimly beyond the invading clouds.

Up on the top of the mountain, the wind blew surprisingly soft, like a gentle whisper in her hair. Grogu was in her arms, holding tight to her thumb like he always did, oddly quiet as they watched the growing sunrise.

Thell had woken before Din, content to watch his relaxed features as he slept beside her. She hadn’t seen him sleeping many times before, so it was a delight to roll over in the morning and see his closed eyes. They both hadn’t stirred that night, too content lying with the kid snuggled between them to be bothered by any nightmares or cool breezes. He looked more relaxed than she had ever seen him, the beginnings of sunlight glowing in his dark hair, long eyelashes kissing the apples of his cheeks. She pulled the blanket they had both shared the night before up higher on his shoulder, just brushing the hair on the nape of his neck. She had pressed a long, soft kiss to his temple before slipping away quietly, grabbing her mother’s sweater as Grogu had slowly woken up, taking him in her arms and moving to where they could both see the impending sunrise.

She pressed yet another kiss to Grogu’s head, smiling when he practically purred in her hold.

“We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?” Thell whispered to the kid. “I still remember that night I found you, watching the holo on that couch... Remember that, Grogu?”

She sensed movement behind her now, the soft crunch of grass as Din approached. She turned her head just to glance at him, saw the way his hair stuck up one side, the crinkle of his eyes as he peeked at the sun. Din looked rather _cute,_ with his hair mused and his shirt crinkly from sleep. Thell couldn’t help but admire him as he caught her staring, a small smile appearing on his face.

“Morning, _kar’ta.”_

“Good morning,” she said back, letting him kiss the side of her temple and move behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and front of her collarbone. He scratched Grogu’s head with one hand, earning a delighted coo from the child. Thell leaned her head back against Din’s clavicle, feeling his steady heartbeat against her back.

“You sleep okay?” Din asked. “How are you feeling?”

Thell smirked, remembering the night before, the hours of kissing, whispering, and soft laughter that had ensued after he had proposed. No wonder he had slept in. Din was usually the early riser, after all.

“Perfect,” Thell murmured, tilting her head back to brush her nose on the underside of his chin. “What about you, sleepyhead?”

“You snore.”

Thell curled her lip, smacking his arm playfully with one hand. “I do not.”

“Hm, maybe you do. I don’t know if this thing is gonna work out... the snoring may drive me crazy.”

“ _Dinnnn,_ ” Thell drew out, digging the back of her head into his shoulder. He chuckled lightly, pressing a kiss to her neck.

“Just teasing, Thell,” he added. “You know how I feel... I wouldn’t leave you, heart.” Din hummed low in his throat, squeezing her shoulders and tugging her closer, pressing his cheek into the hair on the side of her head. “I slept well. Really well, actually.”

Thell smiled, watching as the sun rose steadily ahead of them. It would be a clear day today, clear enough to see the faintness of the moon in the sky.

“I love you so much, you know that?” Thell whispered. “You and the kid?”

“I know.”

“You won't ever have to worry about that,” Thell promised. “About whether I love you or not... It’ll never waver.”

Din pulled her around halfway, gently caressing her cheek with one hand and slowly moving up to her hairline, where a long piece of hair had come untucked. He left it that way, curling it between his fingers before scratching Grogu’s head, which made the kid coo in delight. Even his hand fell to her’s, running lightly over the smooth ring on her finger. But Thell’s attention was on Din: Those brown eyes she had been so determined to see for so long, no longer wrought by agony, pain, or uncertainty, were staring straight back at her, filled to the brim with warmth. She swore she had never seen someone so beautiful, so incandescently human.

Thell Sai'Lya-Djarin did not dream of the future as their gaze followed the ever-growing golden beams of sunlight, setting the crested tops of the mountains on fire.

She did not dream of the future, because she was already here, in its arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man!!! there it is, ya'll!!! 
> 
> let me know your thoughts, feelings, criticisms of this chapter and the book as a whole! my goal is always to treat the characters and stories with the utmost respect and devotion, and i know my writing can only improve. in saying that, i hope you enjoyed this last "official" bit of I'll Do the Same. It has been an honor to create this story, all the while knowing how much you guys have loved it. :) <333
> 
> Next chapter is the epilogue, and after that is a lengthy thank you to every single one of you. be sure to stick around. :)  
> 


	35. Epilogue

Grogu woke, Din’s thumb in his small hand and Thell’s elbow curled around his body as they lay sleeping on the blanket atop the mountain.

_Dad._

It was his only thought as he gazed up at the man who had saved him last year, when he had been eye to eye with a droid that had been ready to shoot him and willing to die for him all within a few months. Had he always looked like this, under the mask? The others had removed theirs, making him question his father’s actual face.

Ahsoka had known how he had felt about him, his deep attachment to the man in the armor. He knew it himself. He liked being carried by him, liked when he used the jetpack and they would go flying through the air, completely weightless. He had protected him, had both saved each other’s lives.

On his other side, Thell. This girl, woman, who had stumbled upon him while he had been busy making himself at home in her original house. He had watched her suffer for him, and nearly done the same for her in return. He had seen the ring placed on her finger, remembered how Din had shown him several nights before, whispering to Grogu while Thell was asleep. It meant something, something beyond what words could explain.

Some word... Some word from long ago, another language, came to his mind.

_Mom...? Mom?_

Grogu reached a single hand out, touching the cusp of Thell’s chin, watching as her brows creased in her sleep. There was something oddly familiar about her hair, how it turned to fire in the ending sunlight. Something from long ago. Her eyes, though not familiar, were kind. Always had been. Just like Din’s.

 _Mom,_ Grogu decided.

. . . .

That waning, gruff blaze and that dimming, bashful glow

Had been floating for years, searching for a fate, for a destiny greater than themselves.

But as fate would have it, the stars collided

Burning bright with a profound light,

And the only thing that could separate the two

Was the existence of time itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading!! i can't even explain how thankful and overwhelmed with love i am for writing this book... i'm so glad i started posting it that night in december. :)
> 
> also, the second little bit was a poem i wrote for din and thell a few days after i first started writing the book.... not even knowing where it would go in the first place!!
> 
> ALSO! a big thank you will be up VERY shortly, so please make sure to stick around for that for some little things from me, some love, and possible news of a sequel!!


	36. author's note: THANK YOU!

_I don't think so_

_I don't think I'm meant to understand myself_

_Well, maybe you do_

_That's good for you_

_And, well, maybe in time_

_Maybe one day_

_I'll do the same_

_I'll do the same_

_I'll do the same_

_I'll do the same_

_I said that I'll do the same, yeah_

_Uh-huh, I'll do the same as you_

_I'll try and hold it up_

_Soon I hope or as soon as I'm old enough_

_Old enough to understand._

These are some of the lyrics from Rex Orange County’s song, “Pluto Projector”, the song I was listening to late at night when I decided to start drafting “I’ll Do The Same.” The title is a direct inspiration from this song, and I think it’s a very fitting theme and message portrayed in the entire novel. It's really a story about sacrificing for the other, maybe even when they don’t deserve it. It’s about putting your life at risk for the sake of the people that you love, not doing it out of honor or vanity or the like... purely out of love, and love above all else. Din’s love for Thell stretches far beyond her looks or her personality, but the ways in which she has sacrificed for him, for Grogu, for Din himself. It's the same for Thell.

That’s why I called it “I’ll Do the Same” because it’s a constant cycle of doing for others what they’ve already done or have yet to do for you, for making and keeping those promises that are hard and trying. It’s loving those who hate you, loving those who are hard, who don’t agree with you or see things the same way, but caring for them regardless. Above all, even above the romance, Thell, Din, and Grogu are a family, and care deeply for each other.

The response I got with this story has just been beyond unbelievable. I started writing it purely for fun and thought that maybe a couple of people might read it... but I never expected thousands!! So many of you have stuck around since the beginning, AND have come along the way, or are maybe just finding it now, and I just wanted to say.... I love and appreciate every single one of you! I have been a writer most of my life so it has been the most humbling thing actually seeing people enjoy my story. I love this book and these characters with my whole heart, and I hope you were satisfied with the outcome. If you have any questions about the book, why I wrote certain things, why I chose to do some things the way I did, I would be MORE than happy to answer any and all questions. :)

And wow. Just wow. I never expected my story to get the response it has. Maybe it’s not as many as others, but for me, it’s mind blowing. I was consistently so encouraged by the comments and love that people left on my story... On harder days it made it easier to write and plug myself back into this world. It took me away from the hardships of life, and it was the greatest blessing in disguise. I cried tears writing this book and also reading the comments... time and time again I found myself just reading and rereading every comment I would get because they were just the kindest things. I have not been one to ever share my writing with anyone, not because I didn’t think I couldn’t write... I was also embarrassed. I was embarrassed that people would make fun of me or call me out on things. I was embarrassed for investing myself so deeply into worlds and things that don’t actually exist. But honestly, one of the greatest things I have learned coming out of writing this story is that I don’t need to be fearful of the things that I love and hold dearest. I love fictional worlds. I love characters. And I freakin’ love Star Wars. I have never grown up in a time where I didn’t know and love Star Wars. I hold these characters and these tragic stories so close to my heart.

Favereau and Filoni, well done, my dudes. You have inspired millions including myself. You make me feel justified for loving these things in the ways that I do, for once feeling “out of place” with my obsessions and finding a home within them. That includes you all as well. Don’t let people bash you for what you love. STRIVE in that passion. It’s a beautiful, amazing thing, and there are so many beautiful and amazing aspects of this world to love and be passionate about.

If you ever want to find me, **here’s some of my socials:**

The link to “I’ll Do The Same”’s Spotify playlist, essentially what I would listen to on repeat while writing the book.: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6OAphKgYw9MOtYCHfnvRds

My tiktok is **@hannahkick**. While I’m at college I don’t post very often, but I am very active with replying to messages or sending things I find funny! Find me on there, don’t be afraid to say hi! I have even made some content related to this book. :)

I’ve also remade myself a “fan account” essentially on instagram, dedicated to my fangirling with pedro pascal and star wars and promoting any writing I do. I will definitely be active there, and I would love to connect!! My username is **@alpine.stxrdust**

 **Also!** Another big thing... I am making a physical copy of this book! If you ever want to leave a review and have it included with your name in the inside cover of I'll Do The Same, please let me know! I'm not sure what it looks like to actually sell them... So I'll just have to get back to you on that!

In regards to a sequel, **YES** , I am planning on writing one! PLEASE tell me what you would like to see in a sequel, throw me any and all ideas that you have! However, in saying that, I will probably not have time until the summer to fully invest in it, as I want to give it my everything but also be dedicated to my schoolwork. In saying that, I don’t think I’ll write anything as good as I’ll Do The Same again. It’s my whole heart, my soul literally poured out on the pages of this website. So many of Thell and Din’s deepest fears, desires, and dreams consistently reflect my own, and that’s why I feel so connected to it.

I could never fully express my gratitude and love for the appreciation and love I have received from writing this book. Again, thank you for continuing to support me and this book, and for always leaving the sweetest feedback that I will cherish forever. I will always hold it and my beloved friends and readers so close to my heart, even years from now!

My dear readers, my sweet, sweet friends, I leave you with that. I hope and I pray that through finding this story you can come away with a bit more love in your heart and a whole lot of hope in your veins.

Until the next story,

Hannah <3

_a photoshopped picture of me and pedro.... because why not?!_


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